Blue Eyes White Mermaid
by Kender20
Summary: Sequel to Dragon Knight of the Sea. While the love between Atemu and Tea continues to blossom, Seto and Kisara discover their feelings toward each other. SetoKisara and AtemuTea, with JoeyMai on the side!
1. Chapter 1

Note: I am happy to announce that the first chapter of the sequel is up! I hope you like it!

Now for the respectable disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and I'm glad I don't! Enjoy the story!

Blue Eyes White Mermaid

Chapter 1: The Mermaid's Glimpse

The main deck of the ship was bustling as the banquet continued onward. Seto was walking among the crowd, and so far he had seen no sign of Princess Tea. "Hm, for some reason I don't see her anywhere. Oh well, I guess I can wait for her." he said. And so he waited. Of course on another part of the deck, he wasn't the only one who was waiting.

"Call me a nag for saying this," Duke said, "but what's taking them so long?"

"It must be something really serious." Serenity replied. She and Mai had been keeping watch over Scorch and Thunder Kid while Joey, Tristan and the others went to talk with Tea. "I hope they're all right." Luckily for them they didn't have to wait any longer. 

"Hey guys!" a familiar voice called to them, "Sorry I made you worry." Before long, Tea came towards them with a sweet smile on her face. 

"Tea!" Serenity squealed and she ran over to give her friend a hug. "I'm so happy you're feeling all better now!"

"I'm feeling more than better, Serenity." said Tea, "Today is the happiest day of my life!"

"Oh really?" Mai said, "What just happened?" At that moment, Atemu came walking towards the girls and wrapped an arm around his Lady. Joey and Tristan came soon after.

"Let's just say that she's finally found her special someone." Joey said, pointing to Atemu. 

"Really?" Mai gasped in astonishment, then said in a sly tone, "My, you've become quite a lucky girl, haven't you?"

"Yep!" Tea said, "And I'm going to tell the whole world about it!"

"She's serious about it too!" Tristan said with a wink. 

"Well what are you waiting for?" Duke said to the princess with a smirk, "Go out and tell them the good news!"

"Okay!" Tea giggled. She soon went to a part of the ship where she is in the view of the crowd. Seto, upon noticing the reaction of the crowd, looked up and there he saw her. 

"Ah, she's here." Seto said smiling, "And would you look at that? She's very happy right now."

"I wonder what she's happy about?" Mokuba asked in curiosity. Seto only smirked, thinking he knows the answer. That was when Tea began to speak. 

"May I have your attention everyone?" she said, "I want to thank you all for taking part of this banquet on the ship. Your presence here gives me great joy. With that said, I have an announcement to make. Before I tell you what it is, I would like to have Seto Kaiba step forward." Seto was genuinely astonished that she would call for him, but then he smiled as his confidence grew even more. He complied to the request of the princess, striding towards her. "Now as I was saying, I have some wonderful news for all of you. Although I doubt Seto would agree." _You're quite a tease my sweet._ Seto thought, not realizing how serious her words really are. "I am happy to say that I have finally found my special someone." The crowd began to talk happily amongst themselves, curious as to the identity of the lucky man. "It is an honor to introduce him to all of you, although you already know that man." Seto smirked, confident that she would reveal to the crowd that he is the one. "So without further ado," Tea said, "Come on over here Atemu." Seto's smirk was wiped off of his face the instant he heard that name, turning into an expression of shock. As soon as the princess spoke, Atemu came towards her, embracing her from behind as the rest of her friends followed behind him. Tea smiled and said, "Sorry Seto, but to set things straight, you're not exactly my type to begin with." Needless to say, Seto was furious.

"Tea," he yelled, "I can't believe you did this to me! I love you to the bottom of my heart! Why did you choose **him** instead of me?"

"It's quite simple." Tea replied calmly with a smile, "Atemu is the man I really love. We are meant to be together."

"How can you be so sure of that?" blurted Seto, "He doesn't even have a voice! There's no way he could tell you that!" Atemu looked upon Joey with a smirk and the blonde nodded. The Prince then stepped forward.

"I guess you don't believe in miracles," Atemu said, "Do you Seto?" The blue eyed knight recoiled in shock at what he had heard, and there was a surprised gasp coming from the crowd, especially from Mai, Serenity and Duke, who had never heard his newly restored baritone voice until now.

"Atemu! Y-you can talk!" Duke said in astonishment. 

"Oh my goodness!" Serenity gasped.

"Wow, what a sexy voice!" Mai said. Even the crowd around them was filled with wonder.

"The Dragon Knight of Exalted Action! He speaks!" 

"It's a miracle! At last, his silence has been broken!" And soon the crowd cheered loudly for the former merman, happy that he was no longer mute. But Seto shook his head with shock.

"No! That's impossible!" Seto gasped. Soon shock gave way to jealous anger and, pointing to Atemu, he yelled, "YOU! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MUTE!"

"I was." Atemu calmly replied, "But not anymore, Tea's love brought back my voice. No offence Seto, but now's your turn to shut your trap." Once again Seto recoiled in shock at what was said to him. He quickly looked around the crowd, then he looked back, and finally started ranting. 

"This is an outrage! First you succeed getting the princess to dance with you, then you beat me twice in two different games, and now this?" Then Seto shouted with outstretched arms, "I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HUMILIATED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!" and Seto began to walk away. 

Unfortunately for him, it was at that moment that Joey took a banana out of its peel, and after giving the fruit to Scorch, he said, "Wanna bet?" and dropped the banana peel right in the middle of Seto's path. Just as the blonde planned, Seto stepped onto the peel and slipped. Trying to keep his balance, the blue eyed knight stumbled, until finally he fell headfirst right into the table of food. Thankfully no one else was around to get caught in the resulting mess he made, but the crowd couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Besides, how many times have you seen a dignified Dragon Knight make such a not-so graceful fall into the pastries? Slowly Seto got up from his fall and faced the laughing crowd—and Mokuba was laughing with them.

"Mokuba!" Seto roared, "You too?"

"I'm sorry Big Brother!" Mokuba said snickering, "But you look so hilarious with all that food sticking on you!" And once again the child burst out laughing. Of course Seto did not join in. Instead he stomped angrily away from the sight of the crowd. 

"Serves you right for tormenting our best friend!" Tristan shouted as he left. Atemu couldn't help but chuckle.

"As much as I hate to admit it, there's actually a part of me that feels sorry for him." Atemu said. 

"There is?" Mokuba said, overhearing Atemu's words. The Prince looked and smiled.

"Oh, hello." he said kindly, bending down to Mokuba's height, "Would you mind telling me your name?"

"I'm Mokuba." The boy introduced, "In case you were wondering, Seto happens to be my big brother. I'm sorry he did all of those bad things to you. He was just so jealous of you since you're the one Tea loves the most. But he's not really a bad person at all."

"I see how much you really love him." Atemu said, "He must certainly love you too."

"He sure does." Mokuba replied, "He loves Tea too, but between you and me, I think it's nothing more than a crush."

"And I believe you're right. I bet there's a girl out there who is his real special someone, and I bet she is waiting for him." Atemu stood up to face his beloved. "In the meantime," he said holding a hand out to her, "Shall we dance Tea?"

"It will be an honor!" Tea said, blushing at she took that hand. The happy couple walked hand in hand to the main deck, and as soon as the music started playing, they along with all the others, began dancing to a joyful beat. Atemu loved dancing even more than ever now, because there is no more pain stabbing his feet. On the side of the ship, two merfolk were watching the happy scene. 

"This is the first time I have ever seen my brother dance like this!" Ishizu said. "He's…breathtaking! Where's Kisara?"

"Aw nuts." Marik said, looking to his side, "We lost her. Don't worry, I'll find her and retrieve her for you."

"That's so considerate of you." Ishizu said smiling.

"Yeah, yeah, you can thank me later." Soon Marik was moving about, in search of his baby sister.

* * *

Kisara was climbing the side of the ship, pulling herself up to be seated. "There," she said, "this is a good spot for me to sing for a while." Once she was in position, she was about to sing when she heard the sound of stomping feet coming towards where she is. 

"Divine Dragon, why did you do this to me?" cried a voice from the balcony of the ship. It startled Kisara, who started looking around immediately. Finally, her eyes laid upon a young man with neatly combed brown hair and eyes that are a deep blue. Blue, just like her own eyes. For some reason, she found herself enchanted by those eyes, and as she was curious as to why he was upset, she decided to stay and watch him. "Ever since I first laid eyes on her, I have worked so hard to win her!" the young man cried out. "I sought to be the best at everything I do so she would notice me and my love for her! But she always turned me down! And now that novice Dragon Knight Atemu claimed her heart before I did!" Kisara gasped. So this young man was her brother's rival for the affections of the human princess! She continued to listen to the young man's sorrowful rant. "It seemed that everything I did, he did better! He always succeeded where I have failed, and now he's finally captured her heart! I'll never have Tea now! It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!" And pretty soon he broke down and started crying. As Kisara watched, she could not help but feel sorry for him in spite of her happiness for Atemu. _Poor guy._ she thought, _He wanted to be Tea's special someone so badly. But we all know that Atemu is the one Tea loves. They're a loving couple now, and I don't __**ever**__ want to change that fact. I __**do**__ hope that I could fill that void in this young man's heart…wait! What did I just think?_ Before she even realized it, she found herself blushing at the thought. Soon her cheeks turned a deeper pink when she looked at him, and her heart started aching. _What's going on? Why is my heart hurting so much for him?_ she thought, _And why are my cheeks… Oh my goodness, can it be…?_ It all came crashing like a tidal wave, as she began to realize what her heart was trying to tell her. She had fallen in love with the blue eyed knight. The very thought of it shocked her. _Atemu was on a similar ship on my fifteenth birthday when he first met the human princess and fell in love with her! Now I'm in love with a human too!_

"Kisara!" Marik called to her, "Atemu's dancing right now! Do you wanna watch?" Kisara turned to look at her other elder brother, both thankful for a diversion and annoyed at being interrupted. 

"Sure, I'm coming!" Kisara called out in reply. She looked at the blue eyed knight before her. _I hope I could see him again soon._ she thought. And she went climbing about on the side of the ship, to watch her brother to celebrate his happiness. 


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Yay! I finished the second chapter! It took me a few days, but I did it! I told you it'll take a while, but it is certainly worth it! So enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 2: Enchanted by a Song

The night went on before the ship reached the dock safe and sound. Seto watched as all the guests got off and he watched as Atemu and Tea walked hand in hand towards the castle. It still made him so jealous to see them like that, so happy together. _Tea, I can't believe you did this to me!_ he thought bitterly, _You captured my heart, only to smash it to pieces by leaving me in favor of a mute knight, who by the way is not so mute anymore!_ A stray tear flowed down Seto's cheek. There is no way he can have the princess now. Mokuba walked up toward his brother. 

"What's the matter, Seto?" he asked, "Don't tell me you're still thinking about those two. For their sake, you need to get over it." 

At first, Seto gave no reply, but finally, he said, "Mokuba, please don't talk to me right now. I need to be alone for a while." He then began to walk away, saying, "I'll be at the beach if you need me." Mokuba could do nothing as he watched his brother leave.

* * *

Underneath the starry sky, Kisara swam to a rock near the beach that led to the castle. She had to admit, it had been so much fun watching Atemu dance. But now that it's all over, she decided to spend some time by herself for a while. Especially since she still had a certain young blue eyed man in her mind. "Oh boy," she said once she climbed onto the rock, "just thinking about him makes my head hurt. Not to mention my heart. I mean, he's so… handsome and, I don't know. There's something about him that makes my heart feel like flying." She placed a hand on her heart, which was beating so quickly at the thought of that man. "There is a rhythm coming about. It inspires me to sing…" 

Meanwhile, at the same time, Seto was slowly approaching the beach. _Mokuba, I don't know what you're thinking, but I doubt that I would be able to let go._ he thought. _I don't think it's even possible._ He had just made it halfway to the beach when suddenly a sound different from the roaring waves reached his ears. Surprised, Seto stopped for a moment and listened. It sounded like the voice of a young woman. Who could be at the beach at this time? Curious, Seto began to follow that voice. As he came closer, the sound became more and more clear. It turns out that it really was the voice of a young woman, and that voice was singing. _Such an enchanting melody!_ Seto thought, _But that doesn't sound like Tea at all. Who could that be?_ Still, he continued walking toward the source of the beautiful melody, until finally, he reached that one part of the beach where the song is at its highest clarity. Seto was astonished at what he saw, for on a rock close to the beach sat a beautiful Deep Dweller mermaid. _A true mermaid?_ he thought, _So they really exist? And all this time, I thought they were just a fairy tale._ The blue eyed knight scanned the mermaid, taking in every detail. Her whole body was covered with gleaming white scales tinged with azure, and her fins below her navel, on her forearms and on her back spread like striped wings of light blue and white. Gracing her head was what appeared to be a finned version of long white hair, tinged with bright azure. Her eyes were closed, for she had willingly lost herself in the very song that she was singing. Seto was enchanted for some strange reason. Perhaps it was because he had never before saw such a beautiful creature. Or perhaps it was the fact that she had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard in his life. He listened to her sing, for the lyrics have, by then, become more clear. The chorus of the song became his favorite part.

"_**Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and could sing**_

_**I'd follow the vessel where my true love sails in**_

_**And in the top rigging, I would build there my nest**_

_**And flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest.**_"

As the mermaid continued to sing, Seto suddenly got the thought of getting close to her. He walked towards her, keeping as quiet as he could. However, it became clear to him that this mermaid had very good hearing, for her fin ears twitched in his direction. Surprised to hear footsteps, the mermaid opened her eyes, revealing the most beautiful ocean blue orbs he had ever seen. _She's like the mermaid equivalent of a Blue Eyes White Dragon!_ Seto thought in astonishment. Suddenly the mermaid turned in his direction and let out an angry screech like a supernatural beast, fanning out her fins. Seto quickly realized that those fins were camouflaged stingers, and just as quickly he backed away a bit.

"Whoa! Hey, calm down a bit, I'm not gonna hurt you!" Seto said bluntly. The mermaid stared at him with wide eyes as if in recognition. She lowered her fins a bit and stared at him for a moment before she jumped off of the rock and swam towards him. Once she got close enough, she could see that Seto was smirking in pleasure. "You really got some good fight in you out there." he said, "The Blue Eyes White Dragon would be very proud of you."

"Uhh, thank you, I guess…" the white mermaid stammered as she blushed. The blue eyed knight bent down so that they were facing each other. 

"Do you have a name by any chance?" he asked.

"Y-yes." the mermaid replied, "I'm Kisara. Kisara Shadowstream."

"Kisara." Seto repeated, "That's a pretty name. **My** name is Seto Kaiba, by the way." 

"Oh, pleased to meet you." Kisara replied, before turning sad. "Although I have to confess, I've already met you earlier." Seto's eyes widened in surprise. _How is that possible?_ he thought, and as if she read his mind, Kisara gave her reply. "I was on the side of the ship, finding a good place to sing, when I heard you come up onto the balcony. You were very upset up there, and that made me sad in spite of my happiness for Atemu."

"You know him?" Seto asked.

"Of course," Kisara replied, "He's my eldest brother." Seto's eyes widened in shock.

"You… and Atemu?" he gasped, "Brother and sister? How is that even possible? He's a human and you're a mermaid! Was either of you adopted or something?"

"Nope," Kisara said, "We really are related by blood. I know you won't believe this, but Atemu used to be a Deep Dweller, just like me."

"Now let me get this straight." Seto said, "You're saying that Atemu was once a merman? Now you're pulling my leg!"

"It's true!" Kisara said, her anger rising, "Atemu was still a merman when he fell in love with Tea, and I was there to see it! In fact, Tea would never have survived the storm on her fifteenth birthday if it wasn't for him!" Seto was speechless at what he had just heard. He had certainly heard of the storm that the princess was caught in, and he knew that it was enough to kill her. And now he realized the truth: she wouldn't have survived any other way. "He loves her so much that he was willing to sell his voice in order to become a human, just so he can be with her and care for her world!" Kisara continued. "I heard you say that it's unfair that Tea loves him and not you. It must be because you 're jealous of him, isn't it?" Seto gave a shocked gasp, then sighed.

"Yes… you're right." he muttered, "I was jealous. And… as a result, I said so many terrible things to him. I didn't know that it made you upset."

"Well, how can I not be upset with you?" Kisara blurted out, "You may not realize this, but as I have now figured out, your stupid jealousy almost killed my brother!" The blue eyed knight had a hurt look on his face. He didn't realize until now that all of his taunts hurt his rival to the point that he would lose his will to live and for that… he now felt guilty. He didn't even know it was possible, he actually felt guilty. For the first time since he first met Atemu, Seto actually regrets doing what he did. And it took a mermaid to show him that. He couldn't bear to see her so upset like this… where did that thought come from? 

"Oh… Divine Dragon…" Seto said in a hushed tone, "I didn't know. I very sorry." Kisara huffed, arms crossed.

"Apology accepted. Of course, I don't know if the rest of my family would be as forgiving." Seto sighed in relief. At least one piece of this sudden weight on his shoulders was lifted. 

"I hope you don't mind if we change the subject now, do you?" he asked.

"No, not at all." Kisara said, calming down. 

"That's good. I have to say, I couldn't help but admire your singing." Seto smiled at her, causing her to blush again. "You have the most beautiful voice…"

"Well, I have been singing most of my life." she replied in a bashful sort of manner. "I love to sing, by the way. Many merfolk have given me praise for my talent, but this is the first time that a human has ever done the same for me."

"Perhaps I won't be the only one." Seto said, making Kisara giggle. Seto really liked that smile, but he didn't know why.

"Oh! Seto, I just thought of something right now! You said something about me being like a 'Blue Eyes White Dragon.' What's a 'Blue Eyes White Dragon'?"

"I want to tell you what it is, but not tonight." Seto replied standing up, "It's getting late, and I'm in need of shuteye. You will come back to see me again, won't you?"

"Why yes!" the white mermaid said in excitement, "Of course I'll come and visit again!"

"Are you free tomorrow night?" he asked, "I'm thinking of doing something better than tell you about the Blue Eyes White Dragon: I'll show them to you!"

"Really? That is so cool!" she said in elation.

"Then it's settled then!" Seto said, "I'll see you tomorrow night!"

"Okay! It is so nice to meet you face to face like this! I already look forward to seeing you again!" She leaped into the water and started swimming towards home. "I'll see you later then, all right?"

"All right! Bye Kisara!" Seto said waving. As the white mermaid swam away, Seto couldn't help but smile. _Amazing._ he thought, _I've actually made my first real friend! Sure, she's a Deep Dweller mermaid, but she's one of a kind. I can't wait to see her tomorrow!_ As for Kisara, she blushed, for her love for the blue eyed knight is growing stronger yet! And to be invited to meet him again… that was a great honor to her, and that made her smile grow more bright. She wanted to get to know him even more, and her excitement knows no boundaries. She dove into the water to swim back home, but she was already looking forward to coming back! 

Note: The chorus that Kisara sang is actually part of an actual Irish folk song called, "If I wasa Blackbird." You can tell I'm a fan of Celtic music, huh? Anyway, I'll be working on the next chapter, and I'll update as soon as I'm done! See ya later!


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Yes! My third chapter! To all who are reading this right now, I must mention this. Seto and Kisara isn't the only main pairing in the sequel! This is also for all the AtemXAnzu and AtemXTea fans out there! So enjoy the fluffiness of this chapter! XD

Chapter 3: A Morning Walk at the Beach

The next morning came, and the sun had just started showing its light when Atemu awoke. From the bed that he now shares with his beloved, Atemu looks at the first tiny rays of the sun and smiled. _The dawn of a new day._ He thought, _This is what I look forward to the most._ Soon he turned to his side, to find that Tea was not by him. He rose quickly, for he was worried. _Tea?_ He thought, _Where are you?_ That was when he heard soft footsteps coming toward him from behind.

"Heehee, good morning Atemu!" said a familiar voice, and Atemu turned around and sighed in relief. It was Princess Tea, and she was wearing that simple dress he saw when he first came to the Realm Above as a human. And she still has his special gift hung around her neck. "I'm glad to see that you're up early." she said.

"Oh, good morning my Lady." said Atemu, "Are you going somewhere?"

"Just for a walk at the beach." Tea replied, "Would you like to come?"

"Why yes, if you want me to." Atemu said. Tea smiled at this.

"Okay then! Get yourself dressed, but you don't need any shoes and socks for this walk. I personally go barefoot at the beach anyway."

"Well, so do I. You don't have to worry about telling me twice about that."

* * *

The creeping sunrise, with its warm colors painting the sky, greeted the loving couple as they walked by the ocean at the beach. Atemu had dressed up in his usual garb, minus the footwear, and he was holding hands with his Lady, who shaded them both with her parasol. 

"Is this what you do every morning?" Atemu asked her.

"Only when the weather is nice enough." Tea replied, "And I usually either go by myself or with our friends. Either way, I see it as a good start of a very nice day."

"I can see why." Atemu said, looking at the scenery, "The sunrise is very beautiful out there. With the ocean in front of it, it's worthy of being put on canvas." He then looked down at his bare feet, watching as the waves gently crashed against the wet sandy shore he now walks upon. "Tea, the sand here is very soft, even when wet. There were so many nights when I stepped upon the shore like this, leaving footprints in the sand, just like now, but this is the first time I can actually feel how soft it is from under my feet."

"What do you mean by that?" Tea asked in confusion. Atemu looked up at her.

"Do you remember that night when you told me about wading in the ocean?" he said.

"Yes." Tea replied. "Your feet were very sore on that night."

"That's more than correct." Atemu said in a serious tone, "You certainly know about having pain in your feet, how it feels as though you were walking upon knife blades as sharp as razors. Now, imagine having to feel this pain every single day, with each and every step you take. That's what I went through before last night, and it was almost unbearable."

"Oh my!" Tea gasped, "So you were feeling that pain constantly? That's awful!" 

"I know. That's why I'm happy that the pain is gone now." Atemu said smiling. "From this day forward, I'll feel this kind of pain in my feet only when I **really** step upon something dangerous. That of course, will be highly unlikely."

"That's good!" Tea said. She stepped in front of him, and they stopped for a moment. "So, Atemu, I have a question for you."

"What is it Tea?" the Prince asked.

"What's the ocean like from where you used to live?" 

"Oh? Well, how should I describe it?" Atemu said and began to think. "Deep Dwellers get their names from the fact that they live in the deepest part of the ocean, where the light of the sun could not reach. I was among those who lived down in such deep waters."

"Was it really dark down there?" Tea asked in interest.

"Yes. It was so dark that you could barely see your own hand. The Deep Dwellers understood this even though they can see in the dark as clearly as they can see in the light, and so they constructed buildings of coral and shell that glow brightly with their own multicolored lights. We use this light to grow gardens of sea flowers that also emit a soft glow. All of those things attract fish that are usually seen around the coral beds near the waters where the sun is at its brightest, and believe me, they certainly add to the beauty of it all." Atemu surprises the princess by taking hold of her gently, drawing her close to him. "But you know what Tea? All of that pales in comparison to your soft skin, your nut brown hair, your sweet lips, and most of all, your eyes which are as blue as the sky at daytime, and even that pales in comparison to the beauty of your very heart and soul."

"Aww how sweet of you Atemu!" Tea said blushing with a gentle smile, "It's almost like a poem."

"I know, but I say all of these things to you only because it's true. This is yet another reason I left the sea and my past self behind me. Although I love the sea just as much as I have before, it no longer has any true value to me because you are not part of it. I would rather live with you in this world than live without you in the ocean." 

"If I was in your position, Atemu," said Tea, "I would do exactly the same thing." Tea leans her head toward Atemu's chest, feeling the warmth of his caressing embrace. "I can hear your heart beating. It's like sweet music coming from within you."

"It beats for you, my Lady." Atemu replied, "And it is because I love you that I saved your life on that day of the storm." Tears of joy streamed down his cheeks as he brought his Lady closer in his embrace. "And now you saved **my** life, for the very same reason! Oh Tea, I love you so much." Tea raised her head up towards him.

"And I love you too, Atemu." she said, and soon the two of them took part in a very passionate kiss. Not so far away, another couple took witness to this sweet little scene.

"Awww isn't that romantic?" Mai said to Joey. "They're just made for each other!"

"You know Mai," Joey said, "I'm glad that Atemu's my best friend. He's a caring guy who's willing to help those in need. It sure is an honor to be there for him."

"Hey, you may be a nutcase sometimes, but you're just as caring as he is. Don't you get it? Without you and Tristan to help him get together with Tea, he wouldn't even be here today!" Mai said.

"Heheheheh, helping people out is what I do best Mai." Joey said sheepishly.

"And that's what makes you even more charming." Mai said, and before he knew it, Mai gave Joey a sweet kiss on his cheek. Joey started blushing immediately, while Mai giggled. Then Joey started grinning with mischief.

"All right!" he said, "Two can play at that game!" And soon Joey took hold of his girlfriend, sweeping her off her feet and giving a passionate kiss of his own—right on her ruby red lips.

* * *

Somewhere in a dark corner of the world, there lies a graveyard for dragons. Among the skeletons of dragons who have long since passed away, a tower made of dragon bones was built. This was the main headquarters of the Claws of Tiamat, and inside, a certain knight in red armor was not very happy. More accurately, he was very angry.

"Damn that bastard!" Bakura growled, "The nerve of him to interfere with my plans of conquest! He even went as far as to slay my precious Fiendish Five Head! Well I'll show him! I'll make him fear the wrath of Tiamat!" Before long, two men came in clamoring into Bakura's 'throne' room. One had blue-green straight hair and glasses framing his slanted yellow eyes, and he wore green armor with shoulder padding bearing resemblance to giant beetles. The second man had a red cap on his head, and he had dark spiky hair with violet bangs. His eyes were slightly wider than the first man, but just slightly, and they were marked with irises that almost seem beady. In contrast to the first man, he wore armor that was brown, and made straight from the hard scaly skin of a dinosaur. Bakura gave an evil smirk towards them.

"Weevil, Rex. You're late."

"Sorry boss," The man in glasses, Weevil, said, "but we just got some news for you."

"Really." Bakura said in an almost uninterested tone.

"Just wait until you hear this!" the man with the cap, Rex, exclaimed, "That young man that just beat you, his name is Atemu, and he's become an official Dragon Knight."

"Why am I not surprised?" Bakura said in boredom.

"That's not all!" Rex said, "He and Princess Tea are lovers now!" Bakura's eyes widened at this. Now that, he didn't expect. Slowly, a sinister grin appeared on his face.

"Well, looks like that goody two-shoes Atemu has the princess as his sweetheart, eh?" Bakura said, "I guess I'll do them both a favor and make sure that they die together."

"Leave that to me boss!" Weevil said gleefully, "I know of a certain young Dragon Knight who is jealous of their love to the point of rage. You know him of course, the one who owns four Blue Eyes White Dragons."

"Ah yes." Bakura said, "Seto Kaiba. From what you're saying Weevil, he can turn out to be quite useful. Go then, and put your plan into motion!"

"Yes sir!" Weevil said, "I won't let you down!" And soon, Weevil sped out of the tower, and Bakura smiled wickedly to himself. _Once these two are out of the way, the Kingdom of Aria will be mine. Tiamat will certainly be pleased with this._ he thought. 

Note: Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, peeps! Now to get working on the next one...


	4. Chapter 4

Note: The fourth chapter is up, Ladies and Gentlemen! Here's some more fluffyness for all you SetoKisara fans out there! Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The Four Dragons

While Atemu and Tea were spending their time on the beach that morning, Seto was pampering his four dragons in preparation for tonight's meeting. He especially worked hard on grooming his favorite dragon, Azure, to make her look her finest, smoothing out her scales so they shine. All this time, he had his new friend in mind, and he smiled. _Kisara,_ he thought, _I have hunch that you're going to love these Blue Eyes White Dragons I have. It's actually incredible, really, that you remind me of such dragons when I look at you. You both are so graceful, so regal._ Seto closed his eyes for a moment, and all the events that happened last night appeared in his head. As he thought about the event when he mocked his rival in the cruelest way possible, he once again felt that twinge of regret. True, he intentionally wanted to hurt him at that time, but he never had any intention hurting him to the point that he would become suicidal. And yet, that was exactly what happened. He almost caused his rival to commit suicide. And with that knowledge revealed to him, he… he really felt horrible. Killing any fellow champion of righteousness, directly or indirectly, was the one thing that Seto does not want to do, even out of jealousy or rage. He knew from watching that Atemu was one such champion, but he was so caught up in his jealousy that he didn't even consider the consequences of his own actions. Had it not been for Kisara, he would never have realized what he had done. Seto slowly opened his eyes. Even today, he was still jealous of Atemu being with Princess Tea, but now that jealously is starting to lose its strength. But now is not the time to dwell on that thought. A certain white mermaid will be coming tonight, and he and his dragons need to be ready.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Seto allowed his dragons to get their exercise in the training grounds. Finally the time came. Seto waited patiently with the four Blue Eyes White Dragons at the beach where he first met Kisara. He listened carefully for the sound of splashing made by something other than the waves themselves. Sure enough, the splash came, followed by a figure of an anthropomorphic mermaid jumping toward him in the water. Seto smiled, for she had come. "Kisara!" he shouted to get her attention.

"Oh, Seto!" Kisara shouted in reply, "You're here! I was worried that I wouldn't find you!" She started swimming in top speed, eager to get close to the man she loves.

"Worry not, for I'm right here," Seto said, "along with some friends that I'd like for you to meet." Once Kisara got close enough, her eyes widened in awe, and she gasped in amazement.

"Wow! What are those creatures?" she said.

"These, Kisara, are my Blue Eyes White Dragons." Seto said proudly. As he began to pet Azure, he said, "They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Oh very much, Seto!" Kisara said, "I've never seen anything like them! Do they have names?"

"They sure do, and even though they may look alike, they each have a distinct personality as well as some traits that distinguish one from the other, so it's no problem for me to know who's who." Seto gestures the first dragon to come to him and the Blue Eyes approached in order to show himself to the mermaid. "This one is called Azrael. He's tends to be a bit bossy towards the other dragons, but he's really quite a softy. Azrael can you open your mouth a bit?" Azrael did as requested, slightly opening its jaws so that more of the teeth could be seen. "Now see here, at the very back there is a single tooth missing. He's the only one of the four dragons that has a missing tooth so he's easy to spot for me." Next, the second Blue Eyes approached. "Now this one over here is called Djibril." Djibril started flapping his wings in a playful manner, almost making Seto stumble. "Whoa, easy there! As you can see, Djibril loves getting attention and is not afraid to show off when there's a chance. Hey, hey, calm down boy!" Kisara giggled at the whole thing.

"He certainly wants to play, that for sure!" Kisara said smiling.

"Yep," Seto said with a smirk, "He's actually quite childish at times." He then reaches out to the third dragon and brought her forward. "Well, compared to this beauty right here. That's Ibris. She's usually quiet, but when the other dragons get rowdy, she doesn't hesitate to step forward and calm things down. You might call her the peacekeeper of the group. On a side note, Djibril and Ibris are mates, and they've lived happily for a very long time. I'm happy to announce that they are about to become proud parents. Ibris is due to lay her first clutch of eggs in two days from now."

"Oh, congratulations!" Kisara cheered, "I hope all the eggs hatch into cute little babies! Oh, speaking of eggs, did you know that Atemu and I hatched from eggs too?"

"You're kidding me!" Seto said in surprise, but then it quickly dawned on him, and he blushed. "Oh, that's right, I forgot! You're a Deep Dweller mermaid, and Deep Dwellers lay eggs! And you said that Atemu also hatched from an egg. That means he was a Deep Dweller too, right?"

"He sure was before he became human." Kisara replied. "In fact, he's the firstborn child in the royal family. After him, came my elder sister, then my other elder brother, and finally me."

"Royal family?" Seto said in amazement, and he soon gasped. "So Atemu is a prince! And since you're his youngest sister, you must be a princess!"

"I sure am!" Kisara said. The two of them were interrupted by a low growl, and Seto turned to see that the fourth dragon was getting his attention.

"Oh, sorry girl. I almost forgot about you." Seto said softly, "Come on, don't be shy." Slowly, the Blue Eyes White Dragon came closer to Kisara, until she was close enough for the white mermaid to touch. Kisara did not swim away, for she was not scared at all. On the contrary, she was enthralled by the majestic beauty of that dragon. "Last, but not least, I want you to meet Azure, my favorite Blue Eyes. She's the first dragon I ever had before I became a Dragon Knight, and she's the one dragon that I ride the most. She is my most trusted companion, and my dearest friend. We spend a lot of time together when we can." Azure nuzzled her friend, showing him her affection. "Azure is the most unusual Blue Eyes ever known, because she has only one blue eye. See here, Kisara, that left eye is the blue eye. The right eye is actually white with a Mother of Pearl shade. She can certainly see with both eyes of course, so there's no need to worry. Azure, this is Princess Kisara Shadowstream of the Deep Dwellers." The dragon leaned her head forward to get a closer look.

"Hello Azure. It's nice to meet you!" Kisara greeted politely. Azure sniffed the white mermaid princess a bit, and then gave her a sweet lick on the cheek. Kisara giggled.

"I'm glad Azure likes you too." Seto said smiling.

"Yeah, your dragons are so amazing!" Kisara said, "What's it like to ride on them?"

"It's exhilarating! Dragons are highly capable fliers, and to fly on the back of a dragon is an incredible experience. I especially savor the breeze in my hair, and the view of the whole world below me. I never get tired of that feeling."

"Wow!" Kisara gasped in awe, "The world must be so beautiful from the sky!"

"Well, there are some wonders in this world that I have yet to see." Seto said, "And the wonders that I want to see most are under the ocean. The ocean is your home, right? What's it like down there?" Kisara blushed at his question. For years, she had always asked about the Realm Above and all the wonders that couldn't be seen in the sea. And now, she has met a human who is curious about her world! She couldn't be happier!

"It's beautiful down there," she replied, "There's coral, sea lilies, and there's fish of all shapes and sizes, and colors too. Deeper in the ocean, we Deep Dwellers have build a wonderful glowing city of coral and seashells. My home is the centerpiece of the city, a coral palace rising above for all to see."

"What I would give to see all that for myself." Seto gasped. A comfortable silence swept over the two, then Kisara spoke again.

"Seto, I have something to ask you. It's about Princess Tea. I know it's hard for you, but… Do you really love her? Is she really your special someone?" That shocked Seto to no end.

"Why of course she is!" he said, "I love her with all of my heart!"

"Then listen to what else I have to say. If you really love her, are you willing to make a tremendous personal sacrifice at any time so that both of you would be happy? For Tea's sake and for Atemu's sake as well, please think about it." Seto was surprised at this speech, but he soon gave a calm expression.

"All right Kisara, I will." he said solemnly, but then he smiled. "I hope I could see you again soon."

"I know you will!" Kisara said with a smile, "It's getting late right now and it's time to go to bed. But I'll see you later, okay?" Soon she jumped into deeper water and as she swam away, she called out, "Thank you for introducing me to your Blue Eyes White Dragons!"

"No problem," Seto called out, "I'll see you later!" And when Kisara dove down and disappeared into the sea, Seto proceeded to head home with his dragons.

* * *

The nighttime sky was filled with nothing but stars, and everyone inside the castle had long since fallen asleep. Seto had just entered the quiet empty hallways of the castle, and had just gotten halfway closer towards the stairs, when suddenly a not-so-friendly voice greeted him from behind.

"I've been waiting for you, Dragon Knight Seto Kaiba."

Seto stopped dead at his tracks. Something's not right here. "All right who's there?!" he threatened, "Show yourself right now!"

"With pleasure!" replied the voice, and soon a figure appeared before him. Immediately, Seto drew his sword.

"You! You're one of Bakura's minions aren't you?!" Seto shouted in anger.

"You got good eyes." Weevil said smugly, "But don't be swinging that thing at me like that."

"Shut your mouth, Tiamat scum!" Seto threatened, "If you know what's good for you!"

"I wouldn't talk like that if I were you," Weevil said, "Especially since I know of your rival in romance." Seto's eyes widened in shock. "His name is Atemu, right? The one with spiky tri-colored hair and crimson eyes, right? Don't try to hide it from me, you know him well! Everything you did, he did much better, and he always manages to succeed where you would fail. And now he has finally won the heart of your precious princess, Tea Gardener. Oh, how he ruined your life! I know you want to get rid of him, and it so happens I know the only sure way to do it!" The blue eyed knight lowered his sword.

"Exactly what is the only 'sure way' to do that?" Seto asked.

"Finally got your attention eh?" Weevil said with a smirk, "Well, here!" and he threw something up into the air so that Seto would catch it. Once he did, he looked at the object very closely. It was a dagger, decorated with the image of a dragon at its hilt. "Pretty, isn't it?" Weevil said, "And that is the key to rid yourself of that man once and for all! All you have to do is go to the room where he and the princess sleeps, and plunge the dagger right into his heart. He'll never know what hit him!" Seto was horrified at what he had heard.

"You… you're suggesting… that I **kill** Atemu?!"

"Exactly that!" Weevil said with a sneer, "And while you're at it I suggest you kill the princess as well. She's always turned you down no matter how much you tried to impress her. No matter how much you love her, she never loves you back. And for that, she deserves to die."

"No! I won't do it!" Seto blurted out, "I refuse to kill my rival, or the princess for that matter!" Weevil let out a wicked chuckle.

"Well, in that case, I'll give you a reason to kill them. Great Moth, bring him over here!" Soon a gigantic green moth monster came, and Seto was shocked to find what--or who, it was holding.

"MOKUBA!" Seto yelled, for indeed, his little brother Mokuba was struggling in the legs of the Great Moth, trying in vain to get free.

"Seto, help me!" Mokuba shouted before a leg covered his mouth. Weevil laughed mockingly at him.

"Here's the deal, if you don't kill Atemu and Princess Tea, I will personally do the honor of slaying your sweet little brother."

"You can't do that!" Seto roared.

"It's the lovers or your brother." Weevil said, "Which one of them dies? You decide!" Seto was speechless with horror. Killing his rival, much less the princess herself, is the one thing he does not want to do. But with Mokuba's life at stake, he might not have a choice.

Note: Sorry to leave you guys at a cliffhanger like that! I'll post the next chapter as soon as I could! Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Note: Yay! I'm done with the fifth chapter! I certainly hope you peeps enjoy it!

Chapter 5: Seto's Inner Struggle

Seto approached the door that lead to the bedroom where Atemu and Tea were sleeping, the dagger in his slightly shaking hand. Behind him was Weevil, who was holding a spare dagger at the throat of Seto's little brother Mokuba, still in the clutches of the Great Moth. The blue eyed knight looked upon the terrified eyes of his little brother, and he was just as scared. If he kills Atemu and Tea, he would never be able to forgive himself for it. But if he doesn't, Mokuba would be the one who takes the knife. Indeed, it was a lose-lose situation for Seto. _That Tiamat scum!_ Seto thought, _I'll make sure he feels my pain for making me do this! I feel like such a disgrace right now. But I have no choice. I had to get it over with, for Mokuba's sake._ Slowly, he took hold of the doorknob and turned it. With a clicking sound, he then slowly opened the door, revealing the two lovers, sleeping peacefully in each other's arms.

"Well, get to it!" Weevil whispered, "I'll be watching you, so don't do any dirty tricks on me. Otherwise, I'll strike the boy dead." Seto glared at the bug-loving Claw of Tiamat, before turning his attention towards the lovers. He approached them slowly, and even though he desperately wanted to wake them up, he did not do it for fear that Weevil would strike the killing blow to his brother if he did. Once he was close enough, he stared at them. Even in slumber, they're so happy together. Jealousy once again touched Seto's heart, and this time, that fact bothered him like never before. "C'mon, do it! We don't have all day!" he heard Weevil hiss. Tears were beginning to stream down Seto's eyes. _My precious princess, I am very sorry for doing this to you and Atemu._ he thought bitterly. _But I have to do this to save Mokuba!_ He slowly raised the dagger, its blade pointing towards the couple. He took aim towards one target, then the other, but somehow, he could not bring himself to make that killing thrust. _I can't believe I'm doing this! Damn you Weevil! I don't really want to do this!_ Seto soon began to recall the angry words of the mermaid princess, Kisara.

**"Well, how can I not be upset with you?!" Kisara blurted out, "You may not realize this, but as I have figured out, your stupid jealousy almost killed my brother!"**

Seto winced at those accusing words echoing in his head. Now he was feeling that same jealousy, and once again, the life of Kisara's brother is threatened. This time however, Atemu's not the only one in danger. _Kisara's my first friend outside the dragons. If I kill Atemu and Tea together, I'd lose her trust, and even her friendship altogether! But if I let Mokuba die, I'll be devastated! Either way, I'll never forgive myself, especially if Tea had to be involved! Oh, what should I do? How can I get out of this mess without taking innocent lives? How can I avoid killing the woman I love?_ When he felt a sting in his heart, that was when he realized something. _My heart… it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Come to think of it, I felt that very same pain in my heart when I found out that she chose Atemu over me and it was just as dull and weak as it is now. I wonder. Is Tea really my special someone like I claim she is?_

"**Seto, I have something to ask you. It's about Princess Tea. I know it's hard for you, but… Do you really love her? Is she really your special someone?" That shocked Seto to no end.**

"**Why of course she is!" he said, "I love her with all my heart!"**

**"Then listen to what else I have to say. If you really love her, are you willing to make a tremendous personal sacrifice at any time so that both of you would be happy? For Tea's sake and for Atemu's sake as well, please think about it."**

Kisara's speech crept into his memory at that moment. _A tremendous personal sacrifice._ Seto thought, _Atemu was willing to sacrifice his place in the sea, willing to give up being a merman all so that he could be with her, and make the world a better place. He sacrificed his former life for her __**and**__ for the greater good. A true champion of righteousness. Perhaps he and Tea really are made for each other after all._

"What are you waiting for?!" Weevil threatened, "Kill them!" But Seto continued to hesitate, the hand holding the dagger refusing to budge. He continued to stare at the couple, looking upon their happiness. This made Weevil even angrier. "Do It!" he hissed. That was when Mokuba managed to get an arm free and pull off the Moth's leg that covered his mouth.

"Seto!" Mokuba said in a hushed tone. The couple did not hear the helpless boy, and did not awaken. But Seto did hear him. He was surprised, yes, but he managed to turn his head towards his little brother. He could see that Mokuba had a desperate look in his tear-filled eyes. "Seto… please…" he whimpered, "Don't kill them! Please let me die in their place! Please--" Another leg went on to cover his mouth before he could finish.

"Shut up kid," Weevil hissed, "if you know what's good for you!" Seto's eyes widened. _Mokuba… you didn't want them to die either!_ he thought, _In fact, you're… you're willing to sacrifice yourself to save them…_ He looked back at the lovers, dagger still in hand. _You have a lot more courage than I thought little brother. But I don't want you to make such a sacrifice, even if it means it would save my crush… wait! My crush?_ Seto was surprised at what he was thinking, but it suddenly all made sense. _Of course! Kisara was right to doubt my feelings for Tea. All this time, she is but a mere crush to me, and nothing more._ And he shut his eyes, allowing the tears to flow down. "C'mon, what's taking you so long?" Weevil growled. "Kill them now!"

"I…" Seto said, and the tone of his voice grabbed the attention of the slumbering Dragon Knight, Atemu, and he began to stir. "I…" Seto again muttered, and Atemu slowly opened his eyes. Those same eyes widened in shock upon seeing the blue eyed knight above him and Tea with a dagger in his hand, and upon tensing up, Tea also began to wake up. But just as the eyes of the princess fully opened and turned into a look of horror, she and Atemu soon heard Seto say in a low voice, "I can't…" Then Seto raised his head and he screamed, "I CAN'T DO IT!" And without a second thought, Seto threw the dagger away with all of his strength. As fate would have it, the dagger struck a different target: right in between the eyes of the Great Moth. The monstrous bug reared its head backwards and screeched in pain, releasing Mokuba in the process.

"GAAAH! MY BEAUTIFUL GREAT MOTH!" Weevil yelled in horror as the moth fell down on its back and perished on the spot. Mokuba wasted no time and ran as fast as he could to his big brother.

"Seto!" he cried as the blue eyed knight held him in a tight brotherly embrace.

"Mokuba! Oh thank God you're all right!" Seto said, relief sweeping over him as he had the boy safe in his arms. Atemu and Tea stared in shock at the whole thing.

"What the--!" Atemu said, and then with a glare, he shouted, "What's going on over here?!"

"NOOOOO!" Weevil wailed as he ran over to his fallen minion. "My baby! My poor little Great Mothee-Wothee!" And suddenly, the bug knight spun around with a look of rage, pointing his personal dagger right toward the two brothers. "I ordered you to kill those two but you didn't do as I say! And to top it off, you killed my Great Moth! And so for that, YOU AND YOUR BOTHER BOTH SHALL DIE!!!" And with an angry battle cry, Weevil charged forward. Seto didn't have the time to react and get his sword, so he and Mokuba held each other tightly, bracing for the impact. But just as Weevil lunged forward, he was stopped in mid attack… by none other than Atemu himself, blocking the dagger with his sword! The bug knight gave an expression of sheer terror as the Prince glared at him.

"As you might have noticed, I always have a sword in handy!" Atemu growled, "So don't you dare lay a filthy finger on those two!" Weevil just shook in horror, not moving at all otherwise. Just then, a certain orange dragon came along, followed by Joey and Tristan.

"Atemu, are you all right?!" Joey asked in worry. "We heard noises coming from your room!"

"I'm all right Joey," Atemu replied, "And by the way, good timing in your part. You too Tristan." He nudged Weevil forward. "Take this worm to the guards, and make sure they put him where he belongs: in the deepest dungeon you could find!" Weevil bolted in an instant, but the two friends caught him just in time. Now he has no way out.

"No problem Atemu!" Tristan said, "We'll even have Scorch bite him if he tries to escape."

"Damn you Dragon Knights!" Weevil whined as he was being carried away, "You may have won this time, but you still have the Great Claw Bakura to contend with! The Claws of Tiamat will get you yet!" Scorch had enough of the cowardly bug knight's ranting, so he bit him on the leg. "YEEOW!" Weevil yelped.

"I'd shut up if I were you, bug boy!" Joey said, before he and Tristan left with their prisoner. Atemu turned toward Seto, who was still holding his little brother and was now crying.

"I'm sorry!" Seto cried, "I didn't want to do it, but that Tiamat scum was going to kill Mokuba if I didn't kill you and Tea! I didn't know what to do! Oh Divine Dragon, I'm so sorry!" Atemu's expression softened. Then Tea stepped forward.

"Atemu, may I take Mokuba back to bed?" she asked.

"Sure, if he wants to go." Atemu replied gently. And he bent down towards the boy, who finally got the courage to look up at him. "I would like to talk with your brother for a while. You don't mind, do you?" Mokuba wiped away the tears, and slowly left Seto's embrace.

"N-no." he said, "I don't mind." Mokuba slowly walked toward the princess and took her hand.

"Do you want me to stay with you for a while?" Tea asked him. The boy nodded. "All right then, let's go to bed." As soon as Tea and Mokuba left, Seto and Atemu were left alone in the bedroom. Seto did not look up at the former merman at all.

"I feel like such a disgrace." he said bitterly, "I'd rather beat you in a game than take your life. I can't believe I was forced to do such a thing!"

"Seto," Atemu said calmly, "What you did was a very terrible thing. You allowed a force of evil to use you in their wicked plans. But in the end, you did the right thing by throwing away that dagger and keeping us out of harm's way."

"But Mokuba would have died!" Seto said, "Weevil would have killed him if I hadn't slain the Great Moth!"

"I don't know about you," Atemu said, "but knowing that Claw of Tiamat, he would have killed your brother even if you did succeed to slay me and Tea. It's not your fault, Seto. You were trying your very best to protect your brother. I know you love him very much, Mokuba told me himself." Seto looked up, staring at the Prince with a few tears still in his eyes. "I know how it feels to have to worry about the safety of a loved one. I have two sisters and a brother, and my baby sister, Kisara, often gets in danger herself without even meaning to. I often come to the rescue, risking life and limb to save her. So I know what it's like to get worried."

"Funny that you mentioned Kisara at this time." Seto said, calming down a bit, "I just met her yesterday. She told me all about you Atemu. She said that you were born a merman. Not just any merman, but a crown prince of the Deep Dwellers! To be honest, it's hard for me to believe at first. But when I look at you right now, I can see the subtle similarities between the two of you. I can also see that regal bearing you have, marking you as a member of a royal family. Kisara also said that you were originally next in line for the throne, but you gave that up to come here."

"That's true," Atemu replied, "But even though I threw away my inheritance, I am still a prince. I never wanted to be king of the Deep Dwellers to begin with. I don't feel that it was my true destiny."

"What was your true destiny then?" Seto asked.

"Probably to do what the Dragon Knights do." Atemu said, "To protect the weak and innocent, to destroy evil, and most importantly, to make the world a better place to live in, a place free of fear. I knew that this destiny lies elsewhere, and I now know that it lies here in this world and not in the ocean. Even now, I never regret leaving the ocean to live here as a human. Especially since I have Tea by my side, for her love gives me strength, and together we can make a big difference."

"You and Tea really do love each other, don't you?" Seto said.

"Yes." Atemu admitted with a blush, "I wouldn't have it any other way." Seto sighed.

"It's pretty strange," said Seto, "but seeing you with the princess doesn't bother me anymore. Because of tonight, I finally realize the truth: Princess Tea was never my special someone. All this time she was just a simple crush, and nothing more than that."

"I'm happy to hear that from you." Atemu said with a smirk.

"That's funny, I'm happy to hear that from me too." Seto said, also giving a smirk.

As Seto was beginning to walk out to where Mokuba was, Atemu said to him, "I'm confident that your real special someone is waiting for you to come. I have a gut feeling about it."

"Thanks, but that still doesn't mean we're friends." Seto said in a sly tone, "We may not be rivals in romance anymore, but we're still rivals nevertheless. Since you beat me in the dragon race and that sword duel, I'm looking forward to a rematch with you."

"If it's a rematch you want, bring it on sometime!" Atemu said.

"Sleep tight, Prince Charming." Seto said and then he walked away, smirking. Atemu sat down on his bed. _I may not fully trust you yet, but I know you will find your special someone._ he thought, _Whoever she might be, I'm sure you will make her very happy._ Then he lay down under the soft sheets, but he chose not to sleep until his beloved returns to join him.

Note: That's it for this chapter. But I'm not done yet! Now there's the next chapter I'm gonna write! Until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Note: I've managed to update now! I know this is a pretty short chapter, but I'm trying my best to overcome the writer's block. I hope you enjoy the next part of this story!

Chapter 6: Dragon Doodles and a Poem

The next day came, and under the sea in the Coral Palace, Kisara was lying on the sandy floor in her garden. She had a dreamy look on her face, and she had just started drawing some pictures in the sand. And she hummed to herself happily as she doodled, because a certain someone was one her mind. _Seto,_ she thought, _I'm so happy that you wanted to see me! You don't know how much I love you… I hope you thought about what I told you last night. This would make Atemu and Tea very happy, and it would make me happy too._ Kisara blushed, thinking, _And I hope you love me in the same way._

"Ah, there you are Kisara!" Solomon called out as he swam forward. "Still in the garden since this morning, huh?"

"Oh, hello Grandfather!" Kisara said cheerfully.

"Ha ha ha, I see that you're in a good mood today!" Solomon said. He slowed his pace a bit before he looked down at the sand. "Now what's that you're drawing over there?"

"Huh?" Kisara said, but then she looked at her doodles. "Oh, that! It's a dragon. A Blue Eyes White Dragon, specifically. Do you think it looks pretty?"

"Kisara, this is incredible, with all the details and everything!" Solomon said in amazement, "I've heard of dragons, and I've even seen some in my travels, but I've never seen anything like this one!"

"Grandfather, I'm surprised you made an encounter with a lot of dragons a long time ago! That is so cool!" Kisara said in excitement, "Well, you're going to be excited to hear this: I saw four of these Blue Eyes White Dragons all at once!"

"Amazing!" Solomon said, "You must be very lucky to see several of the same kind!"

"I know," Kisara said, "And now that we're talking about dragons, I'm suddenly inspired to write a poem about dragons!" Kisara stopped doodling in order to think. "Now, what should this dragon poem be about?"

"Hello Kisara!" Ishizu called out before she swam towards the two other Deep Dwellers. "I can't help but overhear your conversation, but I think I want to help out in this poem!"

"Thank you so much Ishizu, that will be a big help!" Kisara said. The elder of the two sisters sat down and looked at some of her doodles.

"Oh, wow! Look at all of those dragons!" Ishizu said, "They're more like works of art than simple doodles! I especially like the one that's sleeping. I wonder what it's dreaming about?"

"Dreaming…" Kisara said aloud, "Dragon Dreams… That's it! I can write about dragon dreams! Big Sister, you're having me wonder what dragons dream about too!" And soon, Kisara started using her little stick to write down the words, and she said, "I think this poem will go something like this, since there's both good ones and bad ones:

Do dragons dream of bathing in hot sulphurous springs?

Of treasures gold and gleaming, of coins and crowns and rings?

Or do they dream of fair young maids to drag off and devour?

Or feasting on a wizard's magic in some far-off tower?"

"That sound like a good start." Solomon said.

"So what else do you think they dream about?" Ishizu asked. Kisara thought about it, and then another idea struck and she wrote it down, reciting as she did so.

"Do dragons dream of the taste of armor, melting on the tongue?

Or do they dream of sparkling jewels to feed their new-hatched young?

Or perhaps they dream of cool dark caves and others of their kind

Of quiet evenings with a lover, scales and tails entwined."

"Those sound like very nice dreams!" Ishizu said.

"Thank you. But I don't think I feel finished yet." Kisara went to thinking again. "Now what else should I write about…? Oh wait, I know!

Or do dragons sometimes dream of fears, and are they struck by doubt?

Do they ever dream they face a knight, and that no flame comes out?

Or that they've lost their teeth and claws, their large strong wings and tails

Or do they dream they've gone to work, not wearing any scales?"

"Very good poetry!" Solomon beamed. "You're almost like Atemu!"

"But I still don't feel like I'm done yet." Kisara said. She sat and continued to think before finally she thought up a really good conclusion to her poem, which went something like this:

"I have no secret dragon friends who let me know the truth

And some may say that dragon dreams are quests best left to youth

But to wonder, ponder, never to be sure, I'll not stop, I confess

For what dragons dream we're not to know, we're just supposed to guess."

And with that, she was beaming! "It's done!"

"Wow! What a wonderful poem you've written!" Ishizu said.

"That's only because you've inspired me!" Kisara said. "I wouldn't have written this without your help!"

"You did a very good job." Solomon said, "In fact, you did so well, these could be the lyrics of a fine song indeed!"

"That's a wonderful idea Grandfather!" Kisara said, I'm going to copy this onto some seaweed parchment and add some music!"

Just as she was about to swim away, Solomon said to her, "Once the poem becomes a song, is there anyone in particular that you want to share it with?" This made the white mermaid princess blush.

"Oh, uh, yes. About that." she said, "There is someone I like to share it with. Two days ago… I met someone."

"Oooo Kisara!" Ishizu said giggling, "Someone's finally fallen in love! Who's the lucky someone?"

"He's a human." Kisara said, bowing her head. The two of them stared at her in surprise. Only one other member of the royal family has fallen in love with a human, and they all know who that happened to be. But Kisara? Now that was unexpected. The white mermaid continued, "He actually saw me, with my scaly body and my fins and tail, but he saw me as one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. He said that I was the magnificent Blue Eyes White Dragon in mermaid form. That is the sweetest and most wonderful thing he has ever told me!"

"Well," Solomon said, "That's very sweet of him." The elderly merman began to smile. "After hearing of Atemu's successful romance with the human girl he fell for, I've learned that such a romance between humans and merfolk don't always end in tragedy. I'm certain that you can make this relationship work out. If Atemu could do it, I have hopes that you would too."

"That's so sweet of you to say that!" Kisara said, and she gave her grandfather a hug. "Thank you!" And soon she swam away.

"By the way Grandpa," Ishizu said to Solomon, "Atemu has a surprise for you. Next time we visit him come with us. You're going to like it!"

"I'll keep that in mind Ishizu." Solomon replied.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the dragon bone tower in the Realm Above, Bakura stood by the window.

"It looks like Weevil is not as useful as I thought he would be." He said in irritation, "He hasn't even come back!"

"Of course Mr. Bug Boy hasn't come back." Rex said to the Great Claw of Tiamat, "That's because he just got caught by the Dragon Knights. He's in the dungeon now, with no way out."

"With his cowardice, I say he deserves it." Bakura muttered.

Rex steps forward. "Send me after Atemu and the Princess. The plan I have is much better than that stupid Bug Boy's, and with that plan, I'll get those two for sure!"

Bakura smirked, and said, "You seem pretty confident about the whole thing. If you think that plan of yours would work, then go! I will not tolerate failure!"

"I won't let you down, boss! My dinosaurs will crush the Dragon Knights under their feet!" And soon Rex was off, ready to put his own schemes to motion.

Note: the poem I had Kisara write was actually the lyrics of the song "Dragon Dreams" created and owned by Pamela Bruner, a Celtic harpist and singer. That's right ladies and gents! I do not own "Dragon Dreams!" She does! You should listen to her music when you get the chance! Anyway, I'll be working up on the next chapter! Until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

Note: It took me a while, but I finally managed to get the next chapter up! I only hope that thinking up the plot for the next chapters won't be so difficult. Anyway, thank you all for your reviews! Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 7: Mock Duels

Outside Castle Aria by the beach, Mokuba was sitting by himself on a small rock, tapping his foot and staring at the sea out of boredom. Since Seto was at the training grounds today, he had nothing else to do at that moment.

"Oh boy, I am so bored!" Mokuba mumbled to himself. "What am I gonna do? I could go swimming. Maybe I can go into deeper waters today! Oh, but if I do it right now, I might wind up getting my brother worried. Man, there's gotta be something fun to do while I wait for Seto!" No sooner than he finished his sentence than he heard a faint splash ahead of him. Looking up toward the sea, he noticed a strange figure jumping up and down the water. Soon the splashes became louder as the figure came closer. It turned out to be a very pretty Deep Dweller mermaid, with scaly skin colored white with a blue tinge. Before long, she came to rest upon her favorite rock in the water. Mokuba stared at the mermaid for a while, suddenly recalling the day before.

**Mokuba had just come across Seto right when he just finished grooming the four dragons.**

"**Hi Seto!" Mokuba greeted, "Wow! The dragons are looking awesome today! Is there something important going on that you need to groom them to their best?"**

"**Actually, there's someone who wants to meet them personally." Seto replied, "That's why I'm giving them all the pampering they can get!"**

"**Cool! So who's the one who wants to see them?"**

"**Just a mermaid with white scales." Seto answered, "She reminds me of the Blue Eyes White Dragons, as a matter of fact." This certainly perked the boy's interest, because Seto had this dreamy look as he talked about her. **

"**What's her name?" Mokuba asked.**

**Seto smiled at his little brother and said, "Kisara."**

_So that's the white mermaid that my brother was talking about!_ Mokuba thought happily. Quickly, he got off of the rock and ran towards the waves. "Hello there!" he called out. Kisara looked up at the boy in surprise.

"Oh, hello!" she said, and she got off her rock and swam close to the beach until she was close to him. "I haven't seen you before. My name is Kisara Shadowstream, and I'm the princess of the Deep Dwellers."

"Nice to meet you!" Mokuba replied, "I'm Mokuba Kaiba."

"Kaiba?" Kisara said in confusion, but then she started smiling. "Oh so you must be Seto's little brother! He told me about you! Where is he right now?"

"He's at the training grounds with the others." Mokuba said, "Normally, I'd go with him to watch, but for today, I'm letting him do his thing. The only problem is, well, I have nothing to do to pass the time while I wait. Anyway, what brings you here?"

"Oh I just thought up a new song today and I wanted to share it with Seto. But since he's busy, I guess I'll have to wait until nightfall."

"Well, can you sing it for me?" Mokuba asked, "You don't have to wait for my brother to do it." Kisara looked at the boy in amazement and soon she smiled again. She began to sing 'Dragon Dreams' to him, pouring her very heart into that melody. Mokuba couldn't help but admire Kisara's singing. _What a beautiful voice!_ he thought, _Seto must have fallen head over heels in love with her after hearing her sing! It's weird that he doesn't even realize it yet._ When she finished her song, Mokuba applauded for her. "That was so cool! I like how you talk about all sorts of dragons in that song! Seto would have liked it too!"

"Oh I would have to agree with you on that Mokuba!" Kisara replied, blushing, "In fact, his dragons are an inspiration to me!"

"Are you in love with my brother?" Mokuba asked slyly. Kisara let out a surprised "Eeep!" and her blush grew more pink. "Ha ha ha, I knew it!" Mokuba laughed happily, "It's written all over your face!"

"All right, you got me." Kisara admitted, "I've fallen in love with Seto. I didn't tell him yet, though. I can't help but feel nervous about the whole thing. Especially since he loves another woman."

"Actually, my brother doesn't obsess about Tea anymore." Mokuba explained, much to Kisara amazement and delight, "He's finally realized that she's not the girl for him!"

* * *

Meanwhile, at the training grounds, Karim waited patiently for a certain Dragon Knight who had become his most loyal friend.

"It's not like Atemu to be so late like this." the Celtic Guardian said in a worried tone. Blaze finished his flaming sword attack on a straw dummy before walking toward his comrade.

"There's no need to worry," he said, "I met up with my pupil and he told me that there is a surprise awaiting us once he and the Silent One arrive."

"That's right." Mahaado said to the other two, "Being a childhood friend of Atemu myself, I already know what the surprise is. I won't tell you what it is, but this I assure you: you won't be disappointed."

"Master Mahaado!" Mana squealed, "They're coming! All ready for practice!"

"It's about time!" Seto shouted from his place by a straw dummy, "I thought he and the Mutt would never show up!"

"Cut the 'Mutt' crap will ya?" Joey shouted as he and Atemu came in. The Dark Witch, Lia, who had been practicing with Princess Tea, took notice of the two and sped by to greet them.

"Why hello you two!" she said, "I'm so glad you both made it!"

"Hello Lia. How was practice going with Tea?" Atemu said. Blaze and Karim stared at him with wide eyes, wondering if what they just heard was a dream. Lia, however, was still oblivious to this fact and continued with the conversation.

"Oh the Mistress is doing very well today." she said, "Oh, I just heard that you have a surprise for everyone here in the training grounds! So, what's the surprise?"

"You just heard it." Atemu replied with a smirk. It didn't take long before Lia's eyes also became wide with amazement, and she gasped as she realized what exactly was going on.

"Atemu…!" she said in a hushed tone, "You… you talked!" Atemu only smiled in confirmation.

"Joseph!" Blaze gasped, "Someone! Anyone! Tell me I'm not dreaming about this!"

"It's no dream Sir," Joey said respectfully, "The Silent One is not so silent anymore!" Lia soon found herself crying tears of joy for the Prince. Soon Blaze and Karim also found themselves smiling.

"This… this is a miracle!" Karim said, walking towards Atemu, "I never imagined that you would be able to speak! This is incredible!" The Celtic Guardian put a hand on Atemu's shoulder and offered the other hand to shake, which the Prince gladly accepted.

"It is a great pleasure to finally be able to speak to you, Celtic Guardian." Atemu said, "Quite literally, I must mention."

"Likewise, my friend!" replied Karim.

"Atemu, I'm very sorry that I wasn't there to protect you last night." Mahaado apologized, "I never felt so helpless when I heard about what had happened."

"There's nothing to apologize about." Atemu said, "None of us knew what was going on, so don't blame yourself." The Dark Magician looked at his friend, and then a smile slowly crept up his face.

"You are such a dear friend to do this for me." he said, "Thank you."

"All right! Now that the surprise is out of the way," Joey said, lifting his long axe, "wanna practice some moves with me Atemu? Let's make it like a duel to make things more interesting!" This made Atemu grin, and he lifted his sword.

"Joey, I accept your 'challenge'! Don't go easy on me now!" Before long, the other trainees backed away to make room for the mock duel. Except, of course, Seto Kaiba.

"How about you let me join in?" Seto suggested. "I could use a little challenge in my practicing."

"Bring it on, Seto!" Atemu said with a smirk. The blue eyed knight drew his own sword and the trio went into their ready positions. After a short while, it was Joey who made the first move. He swung his long axe right a Seto, who blocked the attack immediately. The weapons withdrew, and Seto made his first attack. Joey raised his staff-like long axe and used it to block the flurry of attacks made by Seto's sword. He then shoved the sword out of the way and swiped at him, infusing an inferno fire blast to his blade as he did so. The blue eyed knight barely managed to dodge the attack.

"He's certainly improved." Blaze said with pride. Now it was Atemu's turn to make a move. He thrust his sword towards the sandy blonde knight. Joey gave a look of surprise, but just in time he arched his back and dodged the sword. The way he did it was quite hilarious to the onlookers.

"Go Joey!" Serenity cheered.

"Nice one Sweetie!" Mai commented with an amused chuckle, and even the three Harpy Lady Sisters were giggling at the sight. Atemu, on the other hand, simply smirked.

"You're a better fighter than I thought!" Atemu said as he withdrew for a moment before swinging his sword again, "in fact, you'd make a perfect Dragon Knight."

"You think so?" Joey asked with a grin, as he raised his long axe blocking the impact. "You're not such a bad fighter yourself." The two of them began to parry their attacks and the sound of clashing steel rang through the training grounds. "How long have you been training?"

"Since I was a small child." answered Atemu, "Or more specifically, a small merboy!" Joey did a horizontal swing and Atemu jumped out of the way and right over him, doing a flip as he did so. Soon he was clashing swords with Seto once he landed gracefully on his booted feet.

"So that explains your battle talent!" Seto said. The swords withdrew, only to start clashing again.

"Originally, the main weapon I used was a spear." Atemu explained, "We didn't have swords from where I was born and raised, because most swords don't really work well underwater." Atemu did another flip to the side of his mock opponent and nearly slashed the blue eyed knight. "There was once another weapon that I use. You see, there are different varieties of Deep Dwellers, and the royal family I am part of was of the lionfish variety. The fins decorating the arms and back of this variety are camouflaged stingers. In the days when I was a merman, these stingers were my secret weapons." The swords clashed and now Joey went forward in a jump attack. Seto took his sword away and blocked the attack.

"You're really amazing Atemu!" Joey said, "You got versatility on your side."

"Too bad you lost the stingers when you became human." Seto said.

"True, but as you can see, I retained my skill in battle." Atemu said before he thrust his sword toward both mock opponents. Concentrating hard, he managed to channel some energy into his sword. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" he shouted, and a ball of dark colored energy shot forward. Joey and Seto managed to leap out of the way, amazed that he was able to cast such battle magic.

"Seems like our magic is rubbing off on our friend, isn't it Master Mahaado?" Mana complimented.

"Sure seems like it." Mahaado replied with a smile. The three 'opponents' of the mock duel stared at each other, tired but satisfied.

"Because of my battle prowess and the potent venom of my stingers, I was given the title 'Coral Snake Lionfish'. I take pride in that title, even today." Atemu explained, "I may no longer have the venomous spines, and I may have legs and feet instead of a fish tail, but I am still the Coral Snake Lionfish at heart. It is this inner lionfish that enabled me to become the Dragon Knight of Exalted Action."

"Your family must be very proud of you." Seto said. _Especially Kisara._ Seto found himself blushing the moment he thought about her, but he did not know why. Joey noticed this, and he started to chuckle.

"Heheheh, what's up with the pink cheeks Dragon Boy?" Joey asked.

"Shut your mouth Mutt!" Seto hollered in embarrassment. At that Joey glared at the blue eyed knight. It was at that moment Atemu stepped forward.

"As much as I hate to gang up on you, Joey has a point." he said, "Is there something on your mind?" Seto did not answer, so Atemu said, "Does it have anything to do with finding your real special someone?" His gaming rival still didn't give an answer, but he started blushing again, giving a look of surprise. "I thought so. Like I said before, I am confident that you will find her. So I want you to keep this in mind. When a situation occurs when you are about to lose your special someone, compare the heartbreak you will feel for her in contrast to the heartbreak you felt for Tea." Seto simply smirked.

"I'll keep that in mind." he said, "In the meantime, I'm going back to Mokuba. He's likely bored and lonely without me around. Thanks for the practice." And then he walked away. It was then that Tea stepped forward toward Atemu and Joey.

"You guys were great out there!" she told them, "You'd make an excellent team!"

"I couldn't agree with you more!" Tristan shouted from the sideline, and Thunder Kid grunted his approval. Scorch, Happy Lover and Kuriboh all bounded and flew towards the group, roaring and squealing in happiness for them. Atemu took hold of the princess' hands.

"Thank you Tea." Atemu said, and he turned toward his friends. "In any case, let's all go back to the castle. It is almost time for dinner."

"Good idea Atemu." Joey said, "All that practicing is making me hungry." There was a groan from Tristan, Mai, and Serenity, making Joey look at them with a pout. "What? I can't help if I'm a bottomless pit!" Atemu and Tea simply laughed.

* * *

It was not long before Seto had reached the beach where he left Mokuba. To his amazement, he was singing a cute little tune to himself.

"Hello Mokuba," Seto said to his little brother, "did you miss me?"

"Seto!" said Mokuba excitedly, "I'm so glad to see you! I got something to share with you!" Before Seto could ask what it was, Mokuba began to sing the whole song. It was about dragons and their dreams, and since he was fond of dragons, Seto listened very carefully.

When Mokuba was finished, Seto said to him, "Wow, that was a great song! Where did you learn such a thing?"

"Kisara taught me!" Mokuba said, much to Seto's surprise, "She thought it up herself and wanted to show it to you. I'm sorry you couldn't be here to see her." Seto's heart softened. Mokuba had just met the white mermaid, and she kept him occupied while he was at the training grounds. _She really is something!_ he thought, _Now I want to see her even more! And maybe her world if it's possible…_ Taking Mokuba gently by the hand, Seto went on to retrieve his four dragons.

Note: It sure was worth making that chapter! Now it's time I do number 8!


	8. Chapter 8

Note: Whew! I got number eight finished! It took me a while to think up the plot for this but it sure was worth it. I hope you like this!

Chapter 8: Something Unexpected

While the mock duel was unfolding, a certain minion of Bakura was watching, unseen by the crowd. Rex had managed to find his target, and so he listened in on the conversation during the duel. Indeed, he was amazed at what he had heard.

"Atemu? A merman?" Rex said in surprise, "Now that was unexpected! To think that he of all people was once one of the true merfolk!" Then a wicked grin appeared on his face, and he chuckled. "This is going to be interesting. I'd like to get a glimpse of that family of his. Gilasaurus!" Upon hearing its master's voice, said dinosaur looked upward. The monster bore a resemblance to a particularly viscous Tyrannosaurus, except it had arms that are as long as that of humans. "How about we pay a visit to the ocean?" Rex said, "If we're lucky, we might find the perfect bait in this plan to 'fish' out that Dragon Knight and his lover." Gilasaurus growled in obedience, and the two of them left to the beach go spying. _In the meantime,_ he thought, _I'd better send a letter to the boss. He needs to know about this discovery of mine._

* * *

In the Dining Hall, Atemu, Tea, and their group of friends were seated at the table enjoying their meal. As always, Joey and Tristan were wolfing down their meal, though Tristan didn't eat as much as Joey did.

"Joey, do you mind slowing down? You might choke on that." Mai said to her boyfriend. Of course Joey, being quite dense, continued to snarf his meal, much to Mai's chagrin.

"You know Joey, I think you should listen to Mai." Atemu chuckled, "Besides, you look ridiculous when you eat like that."

"By the way Atemu," Mahaado said to his friend, "Your family is going to come and visit you tomorrow night, and so is Mako and his crew. You don't mind bringing the others with you, do you?"

"Not at all," Atemu replied and he turned toward his beloved, "Is it all right if I bring you with me Tea?"

"Why of course it's all right!" Tea said, "I'd be honored to meet your family!" Joey swallowed some food before he spoke up in enthusiasm.

"Since Tristan and I have already met them, we'll help you out the introductions." he said, "Mai and Serenity will come too, and we'll contact Duke so he can join us."

"That sounds like a plan." Atemu said smiling, "Thanks for the help Joey."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, buddy!" Joey said with a thumbs up, "Now let's get set up for tomorrow night!"

* * *

The following night, the group had just arrived on the beach. The sky was clear and bright with stars. Mahaado looked ahead to find a certain group of Deep Dwellers, and it didn't take long to find them in the distance.

"There they are!" he said to the others, and he faced his pupil and lover. "Well Mana, shall we?"

"Okay!" Mana replied enthusiastically. With a leap, the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl floated over the water.

"Now watch." Atemu told the others, "For those of you who have not seen this already, what you're about to witness is the transformation that will return these two to their true forms." Soon the two magicians were surrounded by a soft glow. Once again, the armor and clothes vanished, and quickly the humans became Dolphin Folk merfolk and dove into the water. Mai and Serenity gasped in amazement, while Duke stared with wide eyes.

"They're merfolk?" Duke gasped.

"Wow, and it was surprising enough to find out that Atemu used to be a merman himself." Mai said, and at that moment she felt Joey holding her hand.

"Don't worry Mai, Tristan and I were just as surprised when we first found out." he told her.

"These two look so pretty!" Serenity said with a sparkle in her eyes. The group watched as the two now sea mages swam farther and farther. Finally, They stopped, and in front of them was that familiar group of Deep Dwellers. In the distance behind them, there seemed to be a tower floating in the middle of the ocean. It blended in with the island it stood on and it had several cannons attached to it on the top.

"Ahoy there!" Mahaado shouted.

"Ahoy!" Marik greeted the two Dolphin Folk, "Is our Big Bro with you?"

"He sure is!" Mana squealed, "And he's brought his friends with him too!" Two more sea dwellers swam toward the group. Everyone recognized him as Ruby and Great White.

"Ahoy my friends!" Ruby shouted in greeting, "Mako is just as excited about tonight!"

"Where is Mako anyway?" Ishizu asked. Great White pointed toward the floating tower behind them.

"Oh, the Captain's in his house right now." he said, "he'll be coming out soon enough." Kisara couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

"That tower is Mako's home?!" she shouted.

"Aye, isn't it a beauty?" Great White boasted. "It's on the top of the tower that the Captain could survey the whole sea under the bright blue sky!" Soon they all heard hearty laughter echoing from the top of the tower.

"Ahoy, my sea dwelling friends!" Mako shouted in greeting. "It's good to see that you're here to see Atemu as well." Solomon was among the group, and he smiled.

"Well, I have been told that my grandson has a surprise for me." the elderly merman said, "This is but one of the reasons I came to see him at this time." Meanwhile, back on the shore, the group of friends watched as the merfolk got themselves reacquainted with one another.

"That tower over there." Tristan said, with Thunder Kid pointing, "That wasn't there before."

"Between you and me, it looks more like some kind of a fortress." Joey said. Atemu suddenly found himself giving a mischievous smirk. Before anyone could ask, he picked out a large stone and took it in his hand.

"Atemu, what are you doing?" Tea asked.

"Something I've always done to a certain little brother." Atemu replied in his smirk. Happy Lover squeaked in surprise as Atemu threw the rock with all his strength. At that same time, Marik had taken his turn in talking about his elder brother.

"Guys, I don't think we should keep him waiting." Marik said, "I mean who knows? He might get so impatient that he might throw a large rock on my head." Marik stopped is talking and his face had a look of horrified shock as he realized what he had said. "Oh no… What am I saying? Damn it, I just had to open my big mouth!!!" And no sooner than he finished his sentence than a large rock **did** hit him on the head, right on cue, and the scoundrel yelled in pain.

"Once again, your prediction about the rock proved surprisingly accurate." Kisara teased.

"Oh shut up!" Marik said, rubbing his head.

"And there's no surprise who thew it." Ruby said, "Look over there!" The merfolk looked over to the shore, and there was Atemu waving at them cheerfully.

"Ha ha ha, some things never change." Solomon laughed heartily, "I guess it's time to go see him." And with that, Solomon started swimming toward the shore. The other adventuring merfolk followed him, and it didn't take long before Mako's fortress began to move, much to the surprise of the onlookers. It just so happened that in the distance, a certain blue eyed knight and his little brother riding on one of the Blue Eyes White Dragons. There was only one dragon this time, for the other three had to stay behind for today to watch over the clutch of newly laid eggs. _If only Kisara was there to see this miracle._ Seto thought, _She would have been amazed to see all of those eggs._ He found himself blushing at the thought of that beautiful white mermaid princess, and his heart started beating quickly with excitement. _What is it about Kisara that is making me feel this way? I never felt anything like this before, even with Tea. Somehow, I can't get Kisara out of my mind. She's so… enchanting… and she has the most… beautiful voice… Bahamut what is going on with me?!_

"Hey, Big Brother!" Mokuba said, "Look over there! It looks like some kind of fortress!" Seto, thus shaken out of his trance, looked over toward the sea. And there was the fortress that Mokuba pointed out, and there was something strange about this fortress. At the beach, the others saw it too.

"Is it just me, or is this fortress coming toward us?" Duke said.

"C'mon, fortresses just don't move around like that." Joey said. Kuriboh was curious about the whole thing, so it bolted toward the sea in the direction of the moving fortress. Bouncing up and down like a skipping rock, Kuriboh came closer… but it didn't go very far, because the fortress was approaching the waters close to shore. And that's when it happened. The water began to ripple and with a tremendous splash, something under the fortress began to rise out. A huge whale with sharp teeth and a long horn attached to its nose surfaced, and it scared Kuriboh so much that he zoomed right back to the shore, faster than lightning. Once at the shore, he bolted right behind Atemu's leg before peeking out fearfully from behind it. Everyone gasped in surprise, even the merfolk in the sea.

"This is no ordinary fortress!" Tea shouted, "It's a Fortress Whale!"

"You're kidding me!" Mai gasped, "That fortress is… a humoungus whale?"

"Ahoy my friends!" Mako called out from on top of his Fortress Whale, "Good to see you again!"

"Well what do you know!" Joey said, "It's the Freaky Fish Guy!"

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I AM **NOT** A 'FREAKY FISH GUY'!!!" Mako bellowed in a mix of rage and annoyance. "CALL ME THAT ONE MORE TIME AND I'LL SEND MY FORTESS WHALE AFTER YOU!"

Joey shrank back, saying, "Help me!" in a tiny timid voice. This made the other merfolk burst with laughter.

"No need to be so rough on him Mako." Solomon said as he approached the shore, "After all, he **is** a friend of my grandson." Atemu stepped forward, once his family was close enough. "Hello there Atemu." greeted Solomon, "I heard from your siblings that you have a surprise for me. So what is it?" Solomon expected his human grandson to write down the words he would say. But this time, he didn't. Instead, Atemu smiled, with tears of joy starting to flow. This brought confusion to the elderly merman. But then Atemu opened his mouth.

"Hey, Grandpa." is what the Prince said. Solomon gasped, then pearly tears of joy began to flow down.

"Atemu…" he said in a quiet tone, "You… you can talk…!" Atemu fell to his knees and the two of them embraced each other, their joyful tears streaming down their cheeks, their hearts filled with overwhelming happiness. "Oh my grandson! I thought I would never hear your voice again!"

"Grandpa…" Atemu said. It was such a touching moment, and Mai and Serenity couldn't help but say "Awww." Atemu broke from his embrace and he faced his grandfather. "There's someone I'd like for you to meet. Without her, I wouldn't even be standing here today." The former merman beckoned his beloved to come closer, and she did a sweet little curtsey.

"I am Tea Gardener, Princess of Aria." she said, "It is an honor to meet the grandfather of such a noble Dragon Knight."

"Ah, so you must be the lovely human princess who captured Atemu's heart!" Solomon said with a smile, "I have to admit, you two make such a charming couple. I had my doubts at first, but now I see that you're perfect for each other." The elderly merman laughed heartily, saying, "Atemu is certainly a knight in shining armor, just like his father, King Akunumkanon!"

"Grandpa!" Atemu shouted, blushing in embarrassment. Tea simply giggled.

"Greetings Princess." Ishizu said in a soft voice, "I am Ishizu Shadowstream, Atemu's sister and the second of the four royals."

"What's up! I'm Marik, and I'm Atemu's younger brother." Marik said with his webbed fingers in a V sign, "As you might have noticed, I'm third in the family."

"Hello, I'm Kisara!" Kisara said cheerfully, "I'm the youngest of the royal family, and I actually share the same birthday with you!"

"Really?" Tea said excitedly, "That's amazing!"

"You just met and already you have something in common." Mai muttered in amusement.

"All right! Anyone up for some swimming?" Mako shouted before making a dive into the water. Atemu smirked at the sight. Then before anyone could react, he suddenly picked up Princess Tea and carried her bridal style quickly into the water! She squeaked in surprise, and try as she might she could not escape her beloved's arms and before long they both fell into deeper waters with a loud splash. Once they resurfaced, Tea looked at him with a mischievous expression.

"That's it Atemu, you're asking for it!" she said in a playful manner. Atemu laughed, and he started swimming ahead of her, and as she started chasing him in the water, she joined in that laughter. While the chase was going on, Mana called out to the others.

"Come on in you guys, the water's fine!" Mai was feeling a bit mischievous herself and she playfully began to shove Joey toward the water.

"Hey! What the—Mai, I'd better not push me in if I were you." Joey said with a grin, but Mai continued to push. "I'll take you with me, you hear me?" Just as Mai succeeded in having her beloved fall forward, he suddenly grabbed her hand and soon they both fell into the water!

"Cannonball!" Tristan shouted as he jumped in, and Duke and Serenity joined him, none of them caring if their clothes would get wet. Marik swam toward the young lady that was Joey's sister.

"Hey there cutie," he said, "Wanna go wave surfing?" But he didn't have time to hear Serenity's reply as he found himself being dunked by a certain blonde young man.

"Quit hitting on my baby sister!" Joey growled, "She already has a boyfriend!"

"I got stingers in my fins, don't provoke me!" Marik barked from underwater, and he slapped his tail and made a big splash. Soon, everyone was taking part in the splash fight. Even the cute little monsters were joining in the fun. By then, Seto and his brother were flying above them. Seto watched as the group enjoyed themselves. And among that group was a certain white mermaid with blue eyes. He leaned over to the side of Azure with an intention to get a closer look. His heart started to quicken its pace, as if in joy of seeing her. What a joy it would be to go swimming with her, to see her home, and to be by her side… now where did that thought come from.

"They seem to be having a good time down there." Mokuba said.

Seto smiled, and said, "They sure are." Suddenly he felt himself slipping off his Blue Eyes and before he knew it, he was falling right toward the water.

"Seto!" Mokuba shouted in worry. Meanwhile, Kisara was so busy having fun with the splash fight that she didn't notice that she was getting a little bit farther from the group. That is, until she looked upward and saw Seto falling down right toward her! Neither of them had time to react before he landed unceremoniously on top of her and into the water with a loud splash. Underwater, the two of them found that they were very close to each other, and they stared at each other in surprise.

"Seto! Kisara said blushing, "How did you get here?" Of course, Seto didn't give an answer. You wouldn't be able to talk either if you're holding your breath. Nevertheless, his cheeks were the shade of a very hot pink. Soon he needed air, and so they both resurfaced. Once their heads were above the water, Seto spoke.

"Sorry about that. I-I just thought I'd drop in for a while." The two of them stared at each other and found that they were still very close to each other. In fact they are even getting closer than that. Their lips were just about to meet when they heard a voice shouting in their direction.

"KAIBA! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Joey shouted in rage. The two of them parted, blushing as they realized what they almost did.

"Mutt! I was getting acquainted with the Deep Dweller Princess!" Seto shouted.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" Joey barked. Kisara found herself laughing, much to Seto's amazement. Somehow, her voice sent sweet tickling caresses down his spine. He wanted more of it, but why?

"Is that what he calls you?" Kisara said, "I can see why! You look like such a cute little puppy doggy!" Joey face faulted on the spot.

"ET TU KISARA?! WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?!?!" Joey wailed.

"What's going on Joey?" Atemu said, swimming towards his friend, "And what's with all that talk about…" He didn't finish his sentence before he saw the blue eyed knight, and his baby sister right by his side. All the others took notice too, and soon all eyes were of Seto and Kisara, filled with shock. Nobody expected something like that to occur!

Note: I guess you've noticed my little running gag with Marik and the long-distance rock. I couldn't resist! Anyway, thank you for the support! I'll get to the next chapter as soon as I can!


	9. Chapter 9

Note: Hiya peeps! It took me a while, but I finally got chapter nine finished! It was especially difficult to work on since there was a lot of spontanious brainstorming involved. In any case, enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 9: Potential within Blue Eyes

"Kisara…" Atemu could only gasp. He could not believe what he was seeing. Sure, he was confident that Seto would find his real special someone, but his baby sister? The rest of his family couldn't believe it either. They knew that Kisara fell in love with a human, but they never imagined that this very human would turn out to be the blue eyed knight whose mocking torments almost cost Atemu his life. Tea and her friends stared in shock, and yet they saw that the white mermaid had an expression of fear on her face as she peered over all the eyes looking upon her and Seto.

"What is the meaning of this?" Solomon demanded. "What are you trying to do with my granddaughter? You better not be doing to her what you did to Atemu!" Before Solomon could say any more, Kisara immediately wrapped her arms around her blue eyed knight, making sure her stringers did not touch him.

"Don't hurt him!" Kisara cried, "Please don't hurt him!"

"But Sis," Marik shouted, "He--"

"I know what he did to Atemu," Kisara interrupted, " and I'm just as upset with him as you are, but he's not all that bad!" Seto's eyes widened in amazement. Kisara was defending him! He blushed even more than ever.

"She's right you guys!" a voice called out from above, and everyone looked up. It was Mokuba, still on Azure's back. "My brother may have done some bad things in the past, but he's really a good person! I know for sure that he is, because I was with him for most of my life!" Ishizu and Marik looked at each other and then at the small boy, amazed at what they were hearing. The rest stared at Mokuba, before their eyes drifted back towards the blue eyed knight and the Deep Dweller Princess by his side. Seto took Kisara into his own arms in a strong but gentle grip, and she began to grow calm, much to the surprise of the onlookers.

"Let me talk to the old merman Kisara," Seto said softly to her. She looked at him for a moment, then gave a single nod. After loosening his gentle grip on Kisara and letting her go, Seto swam towards the elderly merman. He placed a fist close to his heart in a salute, and if it weren't for the fact that he was in the water, he would have bent down on one knee. Atemu took notice of the serious expression on his face, as did Mahaado and Mana, who in all honesty did not fully trust him. "Sir, you have every right to think negative of me." Seto said in a hushed tone, "My jealousy over your grandson got the better of me, and as a result, I hurt him in more ways than one." Tears began to flow down his cheeks. Genuine tears. "Because of me, Atemu almost got killed twice! I don't know if I will ever forgive myself! Therefore, I will humbly accept whatever punishment you have in store for me. You can do whatever want, enslave me, beat me with a stick, you could even kill me if you desire! I won't stop you, I deserve this misery after what I have done…" Solomon was stunned at the speech this young man had given him. Even Mahaado, in spite of his slight mistrust, was highly impressed by Seto's honesty. Solomon swam over to the blue eyed knight, the ripples grabbing his attention.

"I think we should get you to the shore with the others." Solomon suggested, "We can talk some more once we get there." He turned toward his eldest grandson. "You don't mind it, do you Atemu?"

"Not at all." Atemu replied.

* * *

Once they reached the shore, a fire was built and the humans of the group gathered around it, with Seto and Mokuba included. Atemu had Tea close to his side, holding her with a single strong arm. Joey and Mai were also sitting side by side, with the violet-eyed woman leaning on Joey's shoulder. Mako had some fish cooking in case anyone was hungry, but there was a more important matter at the moment. Solomon, Ishizu and Great White were in the shallow water, while Marik, Ruby and Mana were sitting atop a cluster of nearby rocks, with Mahaado in the water by the rock where Mana was. Only Kisara was on the beach near the water, trying to get as close to Seto as possible. Tristan, Serenity, and Duke stared at the blue eyed knight, while Kuriboh and his cute monster friends played nearby. Other than those monsters, all eyes were on Seto.

"Kaiba, I understand that you are overwhelmed by guilt and regret for your actions." Solomon said, "What you did to Atemu was indeed a terrible thing. For that reason, most of us couldn't find a reason to trust you. Yet both your brother and my granddaughter say that on the whole, you are a good man."

"That's right." Seto said. "If I didn't have a noble heart, I would never have become a Dragon Knight in the first place."

Solomon crossed his finned arms and said, "Well, Atemu told me that the Dragon Knights are paragons of righteousness, so you seem to have a point."

"I have my master to thank for my virtues." Seto replied.

"Your master?" Kisara said with a confused look. Seto looked upon her and grew soft.

"I guess it's time I tell you more about myself." he said and he shifted into a more comfortable seating position. "This is the first time I have told anyone about this. The memories still linger in my head, and some of them actually haunt me…" Seto closed his eyes and the images of his past came to him, all of which are as clear as daytime. "I was born in a small town which used to stand a few miles from Aria's capital. It was quiet, peaceful, and it was known for its artisans. My parents were themselves artisans in one form or another; my father was a weaponsmith and my mother worked with pottery. I loved to watch them work on their crafts, which were as beautiful as they were useful. Originally, I wanted to follow in my parents' footsteps, and so I would help them out sometimes. When I was five, my little brother Mokuba was born." Mokuba smiled, and Seto continued, "Yes, life was good for both of us…" His expression turned into a sorrowful frown. "…until **they** showed up." His hand balled up into a shaky fist as the haunting memory came into mind. "One night, just as the town had finished getting ready for an upcoming harvest festival, several knights riding on wicked dragons flew in."

"The Claws of Tiamat!" Atemu gasped in shock.

"The leader, riding a Fiendish Five Head, made the first attack, and the other knights followed in suit. The next thing I knew, there was fire everywhere, and the streets became stained with blood." Tears were forming from Seto's eyes even as he spoke. Just thinking about the tragedy makes him shudder. "Mother and Father were among those who did their very best to fight off the attack. But in the end, they were killed by the Claws. I was only eight back then, and Mokuba was three. In the blink of an eye, the whole town was utterly destroyed, and nearly all of the townsfolk lay dead along with our parents. Mokuba and I were among the very few that survived." The whole group stared at him with wide eyes while Mokuba started crying. Who would have thought that Seto's hatred towards the Claws of Tiamat was that personal? "For a single week after the attack, we had to struggle to survive in the streets. Then a man named Gozaburo came along and made it worse. He was ruthless, and cruel to boot. He forced us to undergo 'training' to be like him, which I did not want either of us to be. Whenever we disobey his orders, I often take the beatings to save Mokuba from further trauma. The pain I felt will forever bring scars in my memory. I seriously thought that we would suffer for the rest of our lives. But after six months, a miracle occurred. Gozaburo was not very popular with the outside world; he was rude and even called him a bully. What he didn't realize is that a few people have become suspicious of him. Among those was an old knight bearing the symbol of Bahamut on his gauntlet. One day, Gozaburo was forcing me to go through this new routine, one which involved culling out the weak as he called it. To my dismay, Mokuba was the target of this simulation. Even back then, I refused to see my brother harmed in any way, so I refused to obey. Gozaburo, in a fury, slapped me in the face and shoved me hard into the wall. Imagine my horror when he moved on to strike my brother." Mokuba leaned closer to his brother, and Seto wrapped a protective arm around him. "Just when his fist was about to make contact, someone grabbed hold of it. It was the old knight who would become my master, whose suspicions have been confirmed. Soon other knights came and quickly restrained him before he could do any further harm. He was taken to the dungeons soon after, and that was the last we saw of him." With his one arm, Seto comforted his younger brother and he relaxed, growing calm in knowing that the scary part of their tale was over. Seto continued, "In contrast to Gozaburo, my master was kind and caring. For the first time since the death of our parents, I felt safe and secure when he wrapped his arms around me, and so did Mokuba. He healed all of our wounds until only the memory remained, then he took us in and raised us in the ways of his faith. I am grateful for him to this day. If it wasn't for him, who knows what kind of person I would have become." Indeed a smile of gratitude crept onto Seto's face at the thought of his master. "It was he who first told me about the Dragon Knights, and it was he who told me about the Claws of Tiamat, the very same knights who killed my parents and destroyed my home. It was at that moment that I realized… I wanted to become a Dragon Knight. I wanted justice, and I wanted to do all the things that my master did. And so I trained under his guidance. He taught me the ways of the sword, of magic, and even some etiquette on the side. In my free time, I often played with my brother and together with my master, I would tell him stories about notable Dragon Knight heroes. When I was ten years old, I came to the very same place where Atemu met his dragon. It was there that I first met a certain Blue Eyes White Dragon with one blue eye and one Mother of Pearl eye." Azure, who resting behind her master and friend, lowered her head, and Seto stroked her lovingly. "Azure was the first Blue Eyes White Dragon I ever had, and the two of us bonded immediately. She was also the first dragon I ever rode, and I'll never forget the thrill of that first flight. To this day, of all my Blue Eyes, she's the one that I ride the most. As the years passed by, I eventually got Azrael, then Djibril and Ibris, making four in the number of Blue Eyes that I have today." Kisara couldn't help but gasp in wonder.

"So that's why Azure's your favorite dragon!" she said.

Seto nodded and continued his story. "Last year, I'm sad to say, my master died of old age. By then I was old enough to become Mokuba's legal guardian. The day after his death, the Claws of Tiamat came around ready to attack the Capital. By then, the Claws had a new leader, and you know who that is." Atemu growled, remembering the menacing white haired knight in red armor all too clearly. "He had yet to show himself then, and instead sent his minions. This turned out to be the first battle I ever took part in, with Azure as my steed. The Claws were very powerful indeed, and I had difficulty. I wasn't even a full-fledged Dragon Knight yet. But somehow, I felt my master guiding me, watching over me as I fought to save innocent lives. I felt Bahamut's presence as well, and before I knew it, I received his blessing for the first time, in the form of magical armor. The power of my magic doubled, and I was able to stop the attack before it even had a chance to start. I was finally knighted a few days later, and it was the best day of my life." The blue eyed knight simply sighed before he said, "Since then, I strive to be the best Dragon Knight ever known in Aria. Unfortunately, some part of Gozaburo's routines seemed to rub off on me, because I let pride go to my head. And it didn't take long before pride grew into arrogance, and I thought I was better than everyone else. To some people, I was even rude. Nevertheless, I maintained the good within me enough to gain a special honor that changed my life: the chance to meet Princess Tea. The first thing I ever saw was her smile, and I felt her kindness and warmth through that smile."

"That's how Seto developed a crush with me," Tea said, "But all this time, I never saw him as anything more than an acquaintance."

"And I didn't realize that my crush for Tea is just that." Seto said, "I didn't know then that Tea was not my special someone. So when Atemu came and beat me in everything I did and succeeded where I would fail, I was… well, upset, not to mention jealous thanks to my arrogance. I insulted him whenever I could, but I didn't realize how much my insults really hurt him. Now, even though we're still rivals, I regret doing all the things I did to him. Who would have thought that Gozaburo would haunt me in this way." He turned his head toward the white mermaid close to him and smiled at her before speaking again. "It is thanks to Kisara that I understand this now. She is also the one who helped me realize that Tea is not the woman I really love. I am grateful to Kisara for that and much more. Beside my dragons, she is the first true friend that I ever had. For her and for Atemu, I want to make up for what I have done. I want to make sure that this stain my heart is wiped away, so that I can be a better Dragon Knight in matters of righteousness."

When Seto's story was finished, everyone was in awe.

"Incredible!" Ishizu said, "You suffered so much at such a young age, yet you grew up with such a sense of justice!"

"Yeah man, look at ya!" Marik gawked, "After all that's happened, you came out stronger than ever!" A small moment of silence followed before Solomon swam forward.

"Kaiba," he said in a serious tone, "I want you to listen to me for a moment. After hearing your tale, I looked into your eyes."

"What did you see?" Seto asked, "I hope you saw that I'm telling the truth."

"Indeed I did." Solomon replied, "But I also saw something else in those eyes. I saw potential." Seto became a bit confused, so the elderly merman continued, "You have the potential to grow into a true hero like my grandson, Atemu, happened to be. So let me ask you this: Do you have what it takes to become such a hero?"

"Of course I do!" Seto said.

"Then the time has come for you to prove it!" Solomon said with a smirk, "Prove that you have what it takes! That is the key to your atonement, which will unlock our full trust in you! Make your master proud!" Seto was amazed at this. In fact, the words of the elderly merman seemed to inspire him. He bent down on one knee, his fist near his heart in salute.

"I won't let you down old man." Seto said, "I'll do whatever I can to prove myself to you and your family." Solomon's smirk grew brighter, for that's exactly what he wanted to hear. Kisara's joy knew no boundaries.

"You know Atemu," Tea whispered to her beloved, "I have a feeling that your rival is changing. And in a good way too."

"I think you're right Tea," Atemu replied smiling, "And Kisara is the reason behind this change. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that Seto's friendship with her is growing into something more. I can feel it."

In the background, unseen by the group, Rex and his Gilasaurus watched the whole scene and he gave a chuckle quiet enough that none would hear him.

"Looks like the grudge Seto has against the Claws of Tiamat is more personal than I thought." Rex said. "And would you look at that! He's in love with Atemu's mermaid sister… and he doesn't even realize it yet! In that case, I'll lure him into my trap as well! Oh this is gonna be good! C'mon Gilasaurus, let's get to work!" Then Rex sneaked away in order to put his plan to motion.

* * *

Bakura was sitting upon his 'throne' in the dragon bone tower, feeling rather bored since his minion went out on his mission. However, it wasn't long before the flapping of small wings could be heard.

"Huh? What's all the racket?" Bakura bellowed. When he looked in the direction of the window, he saw a tiny pterodactyl flying toward him with a letter in its beak. "Well, looks like Rex has some news for me. It better be news that he's done away with Atemu and his sweetheart." He took the letter out of the pterodactyl's mouth and started reading. It was about Atemu all right, but he was surprised at what he learned. "No way! Atemu was a Deep Dweller merman?!" he exclaimed. There was a stunned silence within the tower. But slowly a sinister smirk appeared across Bakura's face. "Well, well, this gives me another reason to do away with that Dragon Knight. Heheheh, as a matter of fact, this is perfect! Not only can I take control of Aria, but I can also conquer the very seas from which he came!" Bakura started walking away, and he did not hesitate to burst into laughter filled with wicked madness. With the ocean as an additional target for conquest, Tiamat would be very delighted.

Note: The plot thickens! Well, time for me to think up the next chapter! Until next time!


	10. Chapter 10

Note: Whew! I sure put my brain in overtime working on the plot for this chapter... But now I've got it done and ready to read! Enjoy the tenth chapter!

Chapter 10: Treasures, and the Battle of the Harpy Ladies

Later that night, after spending time with the merfolk, Atemu, Tea, and their friends were getting themselves ready to go back to the castle to retire to bed.

"Joey," Mai said, "Do you mind if I stay here a little longer? I'd like to have a little girl talk with your friend's baby sister."

"Sure Mai," Joey said, "I'll be waiting for you when you're done." As both sides said their good-byes for the night and began to depart, Mai ran toward the shore.

"Kisara!" she called out, "Kisara, would you come here for a moment?" Kisara stopped in mid-swim and looked back toward the beach.

"Go on ahead Kisara." Solomon said, "Just don't stay out too late." Kisara nodded and swam toward the shore to meet up with the young lady while the rest of her family dove in the water in order to return to the palace. Mahaado and Mana swam toward the shore with her, until finally they jumped out used their magic to become human again. Mai was thankful that they used their magic to conjure up the usual robes before they touched the ground again.

"I'll leave you ladies to talk." Mahaado said and he proceeded to follow his friend, with Mana giggling behind him. Once the two were alone with each other, Kisara began to speak up.

"So Mai," she said cheerfully, "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

"Of course Honey." Replied Mai, "While we were all having fun with your brother, I couldn't help but notice a little something about you. Specifically when you're around Seto Kaiba." At the very mention of his name, Kisara started blushing furiously, causing Mai to chuckle. "That's what that little something happens to be. You do that whenever he touches you, or even talks to you. And not only that, you do your very best to get close to him." Mai then gave a sly smirk at the white mermaid and said, "There's something more to this relationship than just friendship, isn't there?" Kisara let out a surprised "Eep!" and blushed an even deeper shade of pink. Then she let out an exasperated sigh.

"All right, I confess." Kisara said, and she paused for a moment before saying, "I'm in love with Seto…"

"Ohhh. So that's how you feel about him, huh?" Mai said with an amusing tone. "Does he know about your love for him?"

"No, not yet." Kisara said, "I didn't even tell him yet."

"You didn't tell him?!" Mai said in surprise, "Why not?"

Kisara hesitated a bit before she replied, "Well, in all honesty… I feel so nervous. Not to mention scared. I love him, and I know he doesn't have feelings for Tea anymore, but even so, I still don't know if he feels the same way about me."

"I see," said Mai, "Don't worry Hon, I know exactly how it feels. I was just as nervous when I fell in love Joey." Now it was Mai's turn to blush. "You see, I happen to be four years older than him, and so I was self conscious because of it. Eventually, I found the courage to confess my love to him. Imagine my joy when I found that he loves me back in spite of my age! We've been together happily ever since."

"Awww, how sweet!" Kisara said, "If only I can find the same courage…"

Mai went into thinking. "I'll tell you what." she said, "How about we get Tea and your older sister and we'll all have a girl's and mermaid's day out! We'll go sightseeing and swimming, and search for treasure--"

"Treasure?!" Kisara said, growing very excited, "I love treasure hunting! I so do that all the time!"

"That's wonderful!" Mai said, "We'll find lots of good stuff out there, and if you want, you can give one to your sweetheart."

"Oh Mai, that's a great idea!" Kisara squealed in sheer delight.

"It's settled then!" Mai said cheerfully, "I'll go tell Tea about the whole thing while you go talk to your sister. This is going to be so much fun!"

"Okay!" Kisara said before she started to swim away. "See you later!"

"Bye Hon!" Mai called out. With a smile on her face, she went back to the castle to go chat with her friend and get some good night's sleep.

* * *

The next day, All the girls were out and about at sea, Tea and Mai in a small boat and Kisara and Ishizu swimming around them.

"I'm so glad you convinced me to come with you Mai," Tea said, "I'm already looking forward to this treasure hunt! Maybe I'll find something that I can give to Atemu."

"Funny, that's exactly what I'm thinking when it comes to **my** boyfriend!" Mai said with a chuckle. "I'm so excited!"

"Not as excited as Kisara, that's for sure! I mean, look at her!" Ishizu said. Indeed, the white mermaid princess was jumping in and out of the water in great anticipation. A certain blue eyed knight was on her mind, and she could hardly wait to find the perfect treasure for him. Unbeknownst to all the girls, there was someone watching them, someone in league with the Claws of Tiamat.

"I didn't expect a greater opportunity than this!" Rex chuckled in a menacing way. "Tiamat must be giving me her blessing today. Guess I'll take this opportunity while it's still available." He turned toward a large blue brontosaurus-like dinosaur. "You know what to do Bracchio-Raidus." The dinosaur did a nod and slowly sank into the water so that it would show itself when the time is right. At this moment, the boat stopped moving.

"Here's a good spot to start looking." Mai said, and she brought out a special net used for fishing out treasure. "Here Kisara, gather up any treasure you find and put it in this net. You too Ishizu, and we'll bring them up once it gets full."

"Glad to help." Ishizu said before turning toward her baby sister. "Let's go Kisara."

"Okay!" Kisara said with enthusiasm. And with that, the Deep Dweller mermaids dove into the water. Once underwater, the two mermaid princesses began their search. It was more than a good spot to search for treasure… it was a great spot! There was a large merchant ship that had been wrecked several years ago and even though it was split in half and far apart from each other, the mermaids could still tell that it was built in a foreign land. In between the two halves of the ship was a large bed of sand and seaweed, where several artifacts are bound to be discovered. Kisara wasted no time and started digging. Ishizu joined her sister in the search. Within a few minutes, the two of them found several objects of great worth, like decorative jewelry, vases with exquisite designs and beautiful pieces of art in the form of paintings and statues. Each one of these objects were put into the gathering net for safekeeping. Finally, Kisara spotted something shiny in the sand. Brushing away the sand, Kisara gasped in amazement at what the object was. It was a small brooch made completely out of pure silver, and it took the shape of a Blue Eyes White Dragon, complete with a tiny blue sapphire where the eye is. It was curled into a round circle, its wing folded on its back from the outside. _Oh, how pretty!_ she thought as she picked up the brooch, _And since it's in the shape of the Blue Eyes, this will be a perfect gift for Seto!_ Kisara swam toward the gathering net, clutching the brooch in her webbed hand. Suddenly, there was a quaking vibration on the seabed, and as if out of nowhere, Bracchio-Raidus appeared in front of the two mermaids with its long neck bent in order to have its head underwater. Immediately, it grabbed hold of the rope that the gathering net was attached to and began to pull. In the surface, Tea and Mai felt something tugging on the rope and pulling the boat sideways toward the water.

"What the?!" Tea shouted, "Since when did the gathering net become so heavy?!" Mai peered over the side of the boat.

"It's not the gathering net at all!" she shouted, "It's a dinosaur, and it's tugging hard on the ropes!" Right at this time, Mai's companions, the three Harpy Lady sisters, flew overhead of them. One Harpy Lady with straight red hair looked down and glared.

"That's not just any dinosaur!" she screeched. "I know that beast from anywhere!"

"You do?!" said another Harpy Lady with spiky blue hair, "Well what is it, Airo?"

"That's a Bracchio-Raidus, Keraino," Airo said, "and its owner is a Claw of Tiamat!"

"What?!" Mai shouted from below. Back under the ocean, said dinosaur had pulled hard enough that eventually the rope snapped. It did not tip the boat in the process, but now it had the gathering net in its toothy grasp, treasures and all. It quickly began to run away.

"Hey!" Kisara shouted, "Come back here!"

"Kisara wait--" Ishizu called out, but the white mermaid had already swam out in hot pursuit, too fast for her elder sister to catch up to. Ishizu now became worried, and she swam upward to the Realm Above. "Guys!" she said once she broke the surface.

"Ishizu! What's wrong?" Tea said.

"It's terrible! A monster came and ran off with the treasures we found, and Kisara is chasing after it even as I speak!" The two human girls gasped in shock.

"Oh no! We have to follow her!" Mai shouted, "Bracchio-Raidus can only mean trouble!"

"We'll lead the way!" Ario called out, "Come on sisters! Don't you lose sight of her!"

"No problem!" Keraino shouted.

"We're right behind you Sis!" screeched a blonde fancy-haired Harpy Lady named Octipite.

"Thanks guys!" Mai said.

"We're glad to help!" Airo said. And in a flash, the girls sped as fast as they could to catch up with a certain white mermaid.

* * *

Kisara swam as fast as she could, determined to retrieve the stolen treasure from that beast that came out of nowhere. All the time she held the Blue Eyes brooch in her webbed hands, refusing to let it go. Soon Bracchio-Raidus lifted its head up above the water, and entered a cavern. Kisara surfaced soon after, and swam right into the cave.

"I've got you now!" Kisara shouted. The dinosaur suddenly stopped and turned around. Sinister laughter echoed in the cave as she swam forward, and soon she heard a voice speaking to her.

"Actually, little mermaid, **I've** got **you**!" Before she could react, Kisara found herself being surrounded by a large net and lifted her out of the water. Her eyes widened as she looked upon a knight in brown dinosaur scale armor. Rex Raptor gave a menacing chuckle. "My catch of the day…You'll make good bait for some bigger fish."

Outside the cave, Tea and her companions had arrived to where the runaway white mermaid had disappeared. "That's not good." Octipite said, "That Claw of Tiamat, Rex Raptor, got his hands on Kisara before we could reach her."

"That creep…" Mai said in anger, "Tea, you go and get Atemu and the others. I'll go after my prey with the Harpy Ladies before he does something to the mermaid princess."

"But Mai--" Tea began.

"No 'buts' Princess." Mai interrupted, "Kisara's in trouble, and I need all the help I could get in order to save her."

"Just be careful." Tea said. Mai gave a reassuring smirk.

"Airo, give your Pet Dragon a call," Mai called out, "I'm in need of his service!"

"You got it Girlfriend!" Airo called in reply. The Harpy Lady took out a small whistle and she blew hard. In a flash, a roar was heard from a distance and a red dragon with a collar came into view. The Harpy Ladies' Pet Dragon flew close to the boat and Mai took out her rapier and mounted him immediately.

"You're going down Rex!" Mai shouted as she and her Harpy Lady companions flew head on into the cave.

"Let's hurry!" Ishizu said. Tea gave a single nod and the two of them set sail at once.

* * *

"What do you want with me?" cried Kisara, scared out of her wits. Rex, who was standing on the dry floor of the cave, walked toward the net that contained the mermaid princess.

"Oh, nothing much." He said with a sinister grin, "Like I said, you make good bait for catching bigger fish. Especially since one of them is bound to you by blood."

"What are you talking about?" Kisara demanded. Rex grabbed the net and pulled her closer.

"I suggest you shut that lovely mouth of yours, otherwise I might turn to drastic measures." Rex said. Right at that moment, he spied the shining brooch that Kisara was holding. "Huh? Well, well, what have we here?" The dinosaur knight grabbed hold of Kisara's wrist and pried the brooch from her hand, dodging the venomous spines as he did so.

"Give it back!" Kisara screamed.

"Ah, that's a nice piece of jewelry you got there. I suppose this is gonna be some kind of love token, huh?" There was a gasp emitted from Kisara's lips. "I'll take that as a yes. No need to explain, I know that you're in love with that Dragon Knight. You know, the one who's proud owner of four Blue Eyes White Dragons." Kisara could not believe what she was hearing. How in the great ocean did he…? "I reckon he'll come for you too." Rex said, "And when he does…" Before Kisara could protest, he threw the brooch far into the sea. The white mermaid princess was dismayed when it fell into deep waters, because she knew that the currents would more than likely carry it out of sight. Pearly tears streamed down her scaly cheeks then. How will she ever find the brooch again? Just as Rex was approaching the white mermaid again, a loud roar was heard echoing in the cave. "What the Heck?!" Rex yelled as he turned around to face the source. Kisara was astonished to find that Mai and her Harpy Lady friends had come to her assistance.

"Rex Raptor, don't you dare lay a finger on that mermaid!" Mai shouted in anger, and she pointed her rapier in his direction. Rex growled at the intruder before him.

"Damn, I didn't expect the likes of you to show up!" he bellowed, "You want the mermaid back? You'll have to get through me and my dinosaurs first!" Bracchio-Raidus and Gliasaurus growled likewise, ready to fight alongside their master.

"I'd be more than glad to!" Mai retorted, "C'mon Harpy Ladies! Let's make fossils out of those monsters of his!" And with a screechy battle cry, Airo and her sisters lunged toward the dinosaurs.

"Bracchio-Raidus! Gilasaurus! Sic 'em now! You too Megazowler!" Rex barked. The two dinosaurs charged, along with Megazowler, an orange triceratops dinosaur monster covered with spikes.

"Hey you!" Airo called out, "Wanna play bullfight?" Megazowler found itself playing the role of the bull, and charged in a bull-like fashion towards the Harpy Lady. But Airo was ready. Smirking, she flew upward just as the "dinosaur bull" was just about to hit her. She shouted, "OLE!" right when Megazowler crashed headfirst into the rocky wall. Keraino flew around Gilasaurus to and fro, nimbly avoiding the snapping jaws and sharp teeth of the angry monster. She taunted it the whole time. Octipite, meanwhile, flew downward and raked her talons across Bracchio-Raidus' long neck.

"Take that, you worm on legs!" she screeched. Not wanting to be left out, Mai leaped off of the Harpy's Pet Dragon and made her first attack with her rapier. Rex, anticipating the attack, raised up a mace to block her thrust.

"Not too shabby," Mai said, "but from my point of view you're nothing more than a stylized caveman!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" Rex yelled in anger, and he swung his mace to bash the swashbuckler, only to miss his mark miserably as she dodged seemingly without effort.

"Oh come now, you can do better than that!" Mai taunted. The weapons clashed against each other, neither side gaining an advantage. Finally, Rex's fury reached its breaking point.

"All right! Time to get serious!" Rex bellowed, "Dinosaurs, attack!" By then Megazowler had just gotten its head out of the hole it made, and now it made its bull rush again. Once again Ario dodged the attack. She turned around and gave it a mocking smirk.

"Ha! Missed me again you big—AAAHHH!" Ario hardly finished her sentence when Megazowler did a running start and leaped into the air, knocking the Harpy Lady to the ground. Bracchio-Raidus swung its head in a counterattack that sent Octipite flying… right into the wall.

"Ario! Octipite!" Keraino cried when suddenly, Gilasaurus grabbed hold of her with its claws. "Aieee! Let me go!"

"Try this on for size, Bitch!" Rex roared, and he swung his mace over his head and slammed it hard on the floor. It was enough to make Mai lose her balance and fall onto the floor.

"MAI!" Kisara shouted as she watched her friend land on the floor. Once again Rex swung his mace toward the fallen swashbuckler, but she barely managed to raise her rapier and block it before it made impact. She soon saw that Rex was giving a feral grin. "Heheheheh, looks like someone's losing her touch." Mai could only glare at her opponent as she thought, _Damn, where __**are**__ they?! For Kisara's sake, I need backup, and __**fast!**_

Note: I must mention that some of the names of certain Duel Monsters are actually based on the names I found in the strategy guide for Yu-Gi-Oh Falsebound Kingdom. Sorry to leave you guys in yet another cliffhanger, but my brain needs to think up the plot to put in the next chapter. See you soon!


	11. Chapter 11

Note: After putting some thought into the plot, I finally managed to get the chapter finished! Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Rescue Mission

Somewhere at the beach by Castle Aria, the boys were having their own day out. Atemu, Joey and Tristan were all having fun watching Marik taking part in an unofficial swim race against Great White. It was quite a spectacle, since Great White's dorsal fin was the only thing above the water in comparison to Marik, who was jumping in and out of the water to speed up. Mako was sitting on a rock keeping a close eye on the racers, while Atemu, Joey, and Tristan watched from the beach. Seto was there too of course, but he watched from a small distance. Kuriboh, Thunder Kid, Scorch and Happy Lover all squeaked, squealed and roared as they rooted for the two racers in the water.

"I sure wish Mahaado was here to see this!" Atemu said in amusement. "It's not everyday I get to watch a swimming race from a human's perspective."

"Yeah," Joey said snickering, "It's hilarious! I mean, your little brother is jumping up and down while the Shark's underwater the whole time." Even Seto smirked as he watched the race, for he had to admit, it **is** kinda funny.

"Oh yeah! I am so way ahead of ya Great White!" Marik called out.

Great White stuck his head out for a moment and said, "You're delusional! **I'm** the one who's in the lead!" Joey and Tristan burst into laughter, while Atemu just chuckled. The truth of the matter is that the racers are both dead even. Even Mako knew it, and he did his very best to keep from laughing. Kuriboh jumped up to get a better view of the whole thing and suddenly his eyes started widening. He squealed to Happy Lover, who flew up in front to get a closer look at what his friend had sighted.

"What's up with them?" Seto asked aloud when he took notice of what was going on. Atemu was startled when Happy Lover flew in front of him and his friends. The little winged ball stared for a while, but then he started squealing to the top of his little lungs. Atemu stood up and rushed to where the little monster was.

"What is it Happy Lover?" Atemu asked. Happy Lover just continued squealing and soon flew straight toward what he saw. Atemu looked toward the short distance and he gasped. There, coming towards the shore, was Tea, his Lady, along with his sister Ishizu.

"Atemu! ATEMU!" Tea called out to him, and he noticed that she had a panicked look on her face. Come to think of it, so did Ishizu. At that moment, Joey heard his friend call out.

"Hey guys! It's Tea!" he shouted and ran toward the shore.

"Tea?" Tristan said, "Are you sure Joey?" In an instant, Kuriboh and his monster friends sped toward the shore, and Seto, growing concerned, was not far behind them. Marik was in mid jump when he saw his elder sister and before he even knew it, he landed right on top of Great White.

"Gah! What's the big idea?!" Great White roared.

"It's my sister!" Marik shouted. "She's back and she distracted me!" He started swimming toward the golden mermaid and he too noticed the look of panic on her face. When Seto reached the shore with the others, he was the first to figure out why.

"Something's not right." he said, "Where's Kisara? Or Mai for that matter?" Joey and Atemu gasped in shock. Soon Tea reached the shore and quickly got out of the boat.

"Atemu! Oh Divine Dragon, it's terrible!" she cried in her beloved's arms.

"My Lady, what happened?" Atemu asked.

"It's your sister, Atemu!" the princess said, "Kisara's been captured by one of the Claws of Tiamat!"

"What?!" Atemu shouted in shock.

"Even as I speak, Mai has gone to try and rescue her," Tea stuttered with tears in her eyes, "but I don't think she could do it on her own!"

"No…!" Seto gasped. Kisara was kidnapped? He couldn't believe it. _Damn it!_ he thought, _Those Claws of Tiamat are going to pay for taking my mermaid princess… wait a minute… __**my**__ mermaid princess? Oh boy…_

"Mai's there too?!" Joey shouted, his expression turning into rage, "Those slimeballs! I'll pulverize them for putting my girlfriend in danger!" Atemu's anger also grew. How dare the Claws of Tiamat go as far as to kidnap his baby sister!

"They won't get away with this…" Atemu growled, "Tea, I'm going to rescue Kisara. You stay here and wait for me."

"But Atemu--" Tea said.

"No 'buts'." Atemu interrupted, "I refuse to see you to get hurt, Tea. Or anyone else for that matter!"

"Oh, and you think I wanted to see **you** get hurt?" Tea retorted.

"Well, I uhh…" Atemu stammered and blushed in embarrassment. For once, he didn't know what to say.

"I'm coming with you Atemu!" she said, "I won't let you go by yourself!"

"I'm coming too!" Joey shouted, "I'm not gonna stand by while Mai's fighting one of the Claws!"

"And I refuse to let Kisara suffer by their filthy hands!" Seto said, gripping his sword, "I'm going too!"

"So am I!" Tristan said, "We all need to stick together!" Atemu stared at everyone around him. His friends, his beloved, even his rival! They all wanted to help him out, to work with him as a team! This knowledge brought him to grateful tears, for he actually felt… inspired!

"Thank you." was all Atemu said.

"Obsidian!" Joey called out. The Red Eyes Black Dragon heard her companion's call and flew towards him, and Tristan's Thunder Dragon wasn't far behind her.

"Azure!" Seto called out likewise, "I need your help!" Azure let out a proud roar from her perch on a nearby cliff, and flew down.

With a free hand, Atemu raised his sword and pointed it toward the sky, and with his voice filled with confidence, he called out, "Slifer! Hear my call and come forth!" Soon, the red snakelike dragon descended, and let out a powerful roar to acknowledge the call of his master and friend. There was a pink birdlike dragon by his side too, and the Prince smirked, recognizing the dragon immediately. Princess Tea seemed to have recognized her too, for she let out a surprised gasp. "Looks like Seiyaru has come to our aid." Atemu said. Tea said nothing, but quickly mounted her dragon, grabbing her spear from Seiyaru's mouth. Atemu and the others likewise mounted their dragons.

"Let's give those followers of the Fiendish Five Head a piece of our minds!" Joey shouted.

"Right!" Atemu said, "Mako, you go and take Kuriboh and his friends to your Fortress Whale and follow us to where my sister is held captive."

"All right!" Mako replied, "All hands on deck, or in this case, whale!"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Great White responded, "Marik, Ishizu and I'll get Ruby so we can slap some tail!"

"Lead the way Tea!" Atemu said.

"Okay!" Tea replied, "Follow me everyone!" And with that, the dragons were off and flying.

* * *

Mai had just blocked yet another blow from Rex's mace, while the dinosaur knight gave a manic grin as he was gaining the upper hand. His dinosaur monsters had caught hold of the three Harpy Lady Sisters, who were now struggling in their toothy grasps.

"Ha ha ha, Tiamat's smiling on me today!" Rex said, "Time to take you down!" He swung his mace with full strength, and to Mai's dismay, it broke her rapier on contact!

"Oh crud!" she said, and when Rex swung his mace again, she rolled out of the way. Unfortunately, Rex grabbed her by the collar, and pinned her to the wall. No matter how much she struggled, Mai could not get free. It seems that Rex's grip was stronger than she thought.

"There's no escape now!" Rex said.

"Pet Dragon! Help me!" Mai shouted, and Harpy's Pet Dragon opened his mouth and breathed out fire. But Rex simply smirked.

"Bracchio-Raidus! Put out that fire!" With that command, Bracchio-Raidus swung its tail in the water and doused the fire with its own tidal wave, which was strong enough to knock the Pet Dragon down. _Great_, Mai thought, _**now**__ what am I gonna do? You guys better get here fast, I can't hold much longer!_

* * *

The dragons were very fast in their flight, a fact that their riders were thankful for. Atemu and the others had followed Tea for only just a few minutes before finally, they all reached their destination. "There it is!" Tea shouted, spotting the cave ahead, "That's where Kisara is being held! And by the looks of it, Mai hasn't even come out yet!" They all heard a scream of pain coming from that cave, and Joey immediately recognized the voice from which that scream came.

"I don't know why," Joey said, "But I have a feeling she's in more danger than she put herself in. Those goons… Atemu, I say we go in and attack!"

"Considering the circumstances Mutt, the enemy isn't going to give us much of a choice." Seto said nonchalantly, earning a growl from said blonde about the 'Mutt' label.

"Joey I want you and Tristan to go in ahead of us and make your attack." Atemu said, "Tea, Seto and I are going to try and sneak in and save Kisara. I don't know if it's going to work, but it's definitely worth trying."

"Gotcha!" Joey said with a smirk, "C'mon Tristan, let's get 'em!"

"Right!" Tristan responded, and with that, the two of them flew in ahead of the others.

* * *

"Let her go!" Kisara screamed. Or at least tried to scream, for her gills were starting to constrict, making it difficult for her to breathe. And her scales are starting to become dry, adding to her dangerous predicament. Rex's laughter rang in her finned ears as he inched closer to the trapped swashbuckler.

"You know, you're a really cute chick when you're helpless." Rex said seductively, "Cute enough to make me feel horny. Too bad you're one of the Dragon Knights, we'd be having so much fun."

"In your dreams bastard." Mai hissed.

"Don't defy me, bitch!" Rex yelled and shoved her to the floor.

"Hey you!" a familiar voice shouted in anger, "I'd better not do that if I were you!" Mai's eyes widened in amazement.

"Who's there?" Rex demanded, and just at that moment, the blade of a certain long axe was headed straight toward him. The dinosaur knight dodged out of the way, but still got hit on the shoulder nonetheless. "WHAT THE HECK?!" Rex bellowed as a young man came into view. Mai, on the other hand, was astonished.

"Joey?" she gasped. Joey smirked at his beloved girlfriend.

"The one and only!" Joey said, "Are you all right?"

"Well, it's about time you got here!" Mai said in a slightly annoyed tone, "Any longer and I'd be dead meat!"

"Well you don't have to worry," Tristan said, "we've come to the rescue!" Rex let out a menacing growl of frustration.

"Damn, it! This was definitely not part of my plan! My targets still haven't even come yet!" Rex said, "That pisses me off!"

"You wanna fight Dino Boy?" Joey taunted, pointing his long axe in Rex's direction, "Come and get us! You're going down for what you've done to Mai and Kisara!" Rex's only response was an angry war cry as he charged toward the sandy blonde and his friend. Immediately, Joey swung his long axe, and steel clashed against each other.

"C'mon Thunder Dragon, let's give these dinosaurs a shock of their lives!" Tristan shouted, and Thunder Dragon flew toward Bracchio-Raidus. The dragon wrapped itself around the dinosaur's neck, and once Octipite was set free, it shocked the water dinosaur with a shaft of electricity, killing Bracchio-Raidus almost instantly. Obsidian, not wanting to be left out, breathed out her own Inferno Fire Blast and struck Megazowler, knocking it down and freeing Airo in the process. And so the fight was on. Mai tried to stand up to help her boyfriend, but it turns out that she was in too much pain from being thrown onto the floor. At the same time, Kisara watched the whole battle, even as she was choking. She was beginning to grow weak from dehydration and lack of oxygen, when she suddenly felt a splash of life-giving water doused upon her. After letting her gills breathe in the moist water, Kisara looked up and gasped in surprise. There, standing before her, was her eldest brother Atemu, his true love, Princess Tea and… wonder of wonders! Her beloved knight, Seto Kaiba was there too! Upon laying eyes on each other, they both started blushing instantly. It was right at this moment that Kisara remembered the brooch that her captor had thrown away into the sea. Just thinking about the loss saddened her to no end. But her brother's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Kisara!" Atemu said, "Are you all right?"

"I-I guess so." Kisara replied. "How did you get…?"

"No time for us to explain," Seto said, "We're going to get you outta here while the Claw's being distracted!" Atemu and Tea stepped forward and started pulling on the net.

"All right Seto, as soon as Tea and I free her from this net, you go and take Kisara to safety." Atemu said.

"I'm ready to pull her out!" Seto confirmed. And so the two lovers set to work on undoing the net that held the white mermaid captive. Tea stretched the opening of the net, while Atemu maneuvered the rope in order to untangle the knots. Tea couldn't help but smile, impressed by her lover's nimble fingers as they skillfully untied the knots that held the net together. The hole in the net soon grew larger, until finally, it was big enough for Kisara to slip out. Immediately, Seto caught hold of the white mermaid, careful not to make contact with the stingers, and he threw himself into the water with her. Underwater, Seto stared into Kisara's eyes for what felt like the longest time. Her beauty seemed to have been enhanced, with her scaly body rippling as if with a breathtaking light of its own, and her fins… oh how enchanting they are! The fins on her head that mimicked hair, the fins that spread like wings on her back and forearms, even the fins below her navel and on the tip of her lovely tail, all seemed to dance with the currents. Seto was in awe, and he felt drawn to the mermaid more than ever before. It was like she was beckoning him to come with her to the depths of the ocean. Now he really wants to see her world with his own eyes! But reality grabbed hold of him, and before he knew it, he swam up with her to get some air. Once they resurfaced, Seto called out to the lovers, "Okay, now let's get out of here while we still can! The Mutt can handle his own rescue mission, so let's get the dragons and split!"

"As much as I hate to leave Joey behind for a moment, Seto's right." Tea reasoned, "Let's go Atemu!"

"After you!" Atemu said, and they both tried to jump in. Key word, tried. Atemu soon felt a familiar tug on his wrist that he hoped he would never feel again. "What the--?" One look and that was enough for him to swear very loudly. For lo and behold, there was his wrist, tangled up in the ropes that made up the net. Tea took notice of this too, and became worried.

"Atemu! What's wrong?" Tea asked.

"Damn it! Tea, I'm caught in the net!" Atemu shouted, "The ropes are too tight for me to undo!"

"Let me help you!" Tea said, and she tried to pull loose the rope that held her beloved to make it easier for him. But it was no good. Not only did the rope become tighter, the princess also found herself entangled by the wrist! "Oh no! Now **I'm** stuck!" Atemu swore under his breath. Seto and Kisara were shocked to find that the net was beginning to move upward. For the Prince, this was the worst kind of déjà vu. Only this time, he is a human, and now the ropes are cutting the skin on his wrist, releasing the flow of blood. Tea was doing no better, and now both of them were being lifted into view.

"Atemu!" Seto shouted. Immediately, he jumped out of the water.

"Seto?!" Kisara cried.

"You go ahead and swim out of here! Wait for me once you're safe!" Seto said, "I'm going to help your brother. I owe him big time!"

"Just be careful!" Kisara said before she swam off. Seto on the other hand went after the lovers in distress.

Joey held the look of determination as he swung his long axe at his opponent yet again. By now, Rex was really getting pissed off. "Listen there Doggy, If you wanna save the little mermaid, then you'll have to take her—from Gilasaurus' hungry jaws!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Mai hollered.

"I can and I will!" Rex bellowed, "Gilasaurus, come and get some seafood!" The net lifted higher as said dinosaur released Keraino and lumbered forward. Joey, Mai, and Tristan were shocked when they heard what the Claw of Tiamat was planning, but shock escalated into horror when they saw that it was Atemu and Tea, struggling to get free! A look of shock was on Rex's face as well. "What the?! Stop right there Gilasaurus, bring the net over so I can get a closer look." Gilasaurus took hold of the now-ruined net and brought it to its master. Once it was up close, Rex was indeed surprised at the fact that the mermaid had escaped from behind his back. But then he slowly began to smirk. "Well, what do you know? Looks like I caught the big fish after all."

Note: AIEEE ANOTHER CLIFFIE!!! Well, guess that means its time to write the next chapter! See you soon Peeps!


	12. Chapter 12

Note: Whew, that's the longest chapter yet! Fourteen pages! I hope you like it, because Joey's in the spotlight and there's some tiny fluff between him and Mai!

Chapter 12: Joey's Inner Dragon

"Atemu! Tea!" Joey shouted, his eyes widening in horror. Rex, still smirking, stepped forward and grabbed Atemu by the arm not entangled by the net rope. Turning the Prince's body so that they were face to face, the dinosaur knight stared deeply.

"I was expecting you to come," he said with a menacing chuckle, "Not like this of course, but nevertheless I knew you'd come."

"So it was you who kidnapped Kisara!" Atemu growled with a low tone, "What do you want with her?!"

"That's of no concern for me," Rex replied smugly, "All that matters now is that I managed to fish out the Dragon Knight of Exalted Action, also known as the Coral Snake Lionfish, merman Prince of the Deep Dwellers! Or is it **former** merman?" Atemu grew pale at his words, his eyes widened in a mixture of shock and horror.

"What?! H-how…how did you…?!"

"Know that you're a merman once upon a time? Well, on the boss' behalf, I've been spying on you and your girlfriend in the background. I sent a letter to the boss about this revelation too, and I bet you by now he knows all about you." Rex let out an evil laugh, shoving Atemu away so that the Prince was swinging back and forth. "With that in mind, I took your baby sister as a hostage, knowing that you would come to her rescue like the chivalrous Dragon Knight you are. I'm impressed at how you managed to succeed in your little mission from right behind my back, but now I get the honors of making a martyr of you and your sweetheart!" Rex swung his mace in the direction of the lovers, holding it out in order the make aim. "Any last requests?"

"Leave us alone you stupid Claw!" Tea shouted in sudden anger, and she kicked Rex in the face… hard. Rex staggered, his nose bleeding, but he was far from knocked out. In fact, it only made him angry.

"Why you little--!" Rex growled, "All right then, you asked for it!" The dinosaur knight began to lunge toward Atemu and his Lady, with full intent of slaughtering them.

"I don't think so!" a familiar voice called out in front of the panicking lovers. Imagine their surprise when they saw Seto Kaiba, jumping in to block the attack with his sword! Skillfully Seto pushed back his opponent, and once again Rex staggered backward. Upon seeing him, Rex started smirking again.

"Well I be damned! Another one of my targets has come to the rescue! The infamous Seto Kaiba to be specific!" Rex said.

"Oh, you're damned all right Raptor," Seto shouted in anger, "I'm gonna send you straight to your evil mistress for what you did to Kisara!" He pointed his sword toward the Claw of Tiamat and roared out, "WHITE LIGHTNING ATTACK!!!" But once again, the magical lightning drew small, thin and weak on the blade before disappearing altogether, much to Seto's dismay. _What the?! My magic's died on me again!_ he thought, _What's in Bahamut's name is happening?_

"Watch out, Seto!" Atemu hollered, but when Seto looked up, he was struck by Rex's mace on his left side, and knocked to the ground. Pain overwhelmed him where the mace had struck, and he coughed up blood as he struggled to get up.

"Ha, that's one lame attack you set up." Rex snickered, "Bakura's right, you really **are** losing your touch!"

"Oh yeah? Well so are you! INFERNO FIRE BLAST!!" Joey shouted as he unleashed his magic from his long axe and made a direct hit on Rex. Joey then swung his long axe and cut the net ropes holding his two friends, freeing them both. As soon as they landed on the ground, Atemu took out his sword and carefully cut the rope still wrapped around his wrist, and he quickly did the same with his Lady. Suddenly, Rex stood up. He was slightly unharmed by Joey's magic, but nonetheless he was pissed.

"Grrr, you're gonna pay for this!" Rex growled in anger, "Take this!" And the dinosaur knight charged forward and swung his mace, but Joey jumped out of the way, dodging the attack.

"Lemme help Joey!" Tristan called out, and he drew his own sword from its sheath and struck Rex's shoulder armor, cutting the already injured shoulder in the process.

"Seto!" Atemu called out as he and Tea ran towards the injured blue eyed knight, who was failing miserably in his attempt to get up. Tea gasped when she saw that Seto's hip was nearly protruding. And the cloth was stained with blood.

"Oh no, his pelvis is almost fractured!" Tea gasped in concern, "I don't think Happy Lover would be able to heal this kind of wound!"

"No," Atemu replied, "but Ishizu might."

"Let me go!" Seto protested as her hands held him back, "I'm going to back down from this fight like I did last time!"

"Well I'm not going to let you," Tea argued, "You're injured and you're in no condition to fight! Besides, think of how Kisara would react if you kept fighting like this!" Seto's eyes widened at the mention of the white mermaid's name, and he started blushing. "Atemu, I'm sorry I won't be able to join you in this battle." Tea said.

"It's all right, my Lady." Atemu replied, "My rival is hurt, and with his drive to fight someone needs to keep an eye on him while I help Joey, Mai and Tristan." Tea gave a single determined nod and smiled, her cheeks turning a deep pink as she lifted her spear in a protective position.

"I won't let you down." she said, "Just be careful." Immediately, Atemu took his sword and started charging. But just as he was about to reach his opponent, a familiar spiked triceratops dinosaur bull rushed in front of him, and the Prince barely managed to sidestep out of the way. Obsidian roared in frustration, grabbing her companion's attention.

"Megazowler!" Joey shouted, "It's still alive!"

"Thunder Dragon, attack!" Tristan commanded. However, just as the Thunder Dragon was about to approach, Gilasaurus swiped its claws and the dragon fell downward with a crash. "Thunder Dragon!" Tristan screamed in shock over his wounded comrade. At that moment, Megazowler started charging again. Tristan didn't even have the time to block the dinosaur's attack, and soon he was struck hard by the bull rush, and slammed right into the wall.

"TRISTAN!!" Atemu hollered as his friend fell to the floor in pain. Atemu's rage toward the dinosaur monster knew no boundaries. When Megazowler charged toward its intended target again, Atemu swings his sword, shouting, "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" and soon the dark colored ball of magical energy shot out of his sword, knocking the spiked triceratops dinosaur off of its feet and wounding it at the same time. Atemu jumped upward, and sliced Megazowler's head in two, killing it instantly.

"Gilasaurus!" Rex commanded, "Strike him down!" The dinosaur monster rushed toward the Prince with a roar. Atemu quickly spun around and dodged its sharp teeth. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough when it comes to Gilasaurus' claws. Before he even realized it, Atemu felt those claws tearing the flesh on his back. He screamed in pain as he fell to the floor.

"Oh no! Atemu!" Mai screamed before Gilasaurus took notice of her. Immediately, it grabbed her and lifted her up in its claws, and Mai screamed louder.

"Hey Dino Boy! Leave 'em alone!" Joey shouted in rage. He swung his long axe toward his opponent only to have it blocked again with the sound of clashing steel.

"Oh, so you wanna play rough, eh?" Rex hissed, "Well I guess it's time to unleash my secret weapon! Gilasaurus!" The tyrannosaurus monster raised its free claw and slapped the cave floor. In an instant, a shockwave of stalagmites surged forward.

"Atemu, look out!" Tea shouted. Atemu, immediately taking notice of the attack, quickly rolled out of the way in spite of the pain. Joey, however, was not so lucky. He screamed in agony as the stalagmite shockwave crashed into him. It was a miracle that he was still standing in the same spot.

"Direct hit!" Rex cheered, "Nice work, Gilasaurus. Now let's try it again with our ex-merman shall we?" Again, Gilasaurus unleashed its stone attack towards the injured Prince. What's worse, Atemu was cornered, with no way out! Atemu shut his eyes, bracing himself for the impact. That impact never came. Slowly, he opened his eyes and was surprised at what he saw. It was the servant and friend of his Lady, the Dark Witch, Lia! As it turned out, she had sliced the rocks to bits before it even reached him!

"Atemu! Are you all right?" Lia asked.

"I'm just fine." Atemu said, even as he hissed in pain, "Thanks for your help." Just then another shockwave of stalagmites surged forward.

"SHINING SCEPTER SLASH!" Lia shouted as she swung her spear, and a sickle-shaped beam of light flew out, cutting the rocks in its path of flight.

"Nice move, but are you fast enough to stop this?" Rex sneered, and he swung his mace and when it made contact, a similar shockwave of stalagmites surged right toward Princess Tea and the badly injured Seto with a speed that neither Atemu nor Lia could catch up to! The two of them gasped in horror as the shockwave came closer, and Tea braced herself for the impact.

Suddenly, two familiar voices echoed in the cave with the words, "DARK MAGIC DOUBLE ATTACK!!!" and in a flash, two balls of dark magical energy flew toward the stalagmites, destroying them on contact.

"Mahaado! Mana!" Atemu called out as his friends flew in front of his beloved in a defensive position. In his condition, Atemu was glad he had some extra help.

"Don't come any closer, else you will feel my wrath!" Mahaado threatened the Claw of Tiamat.

"That's right," Mana said, "You'll regret it!" Rex could only growl in anger.

"Obsidian," Joey shouted, "let's burn that dinosaur to a crisp! INFERNO FIRE BLAST!" Once again, the Red Eyes Black Dragon unleashed her breath weapon. Gilasaurus took the hit on its back, and was knocked to the ground by the blast. But to Joey's dismay, it rose up to its feet unharmed by the attack, not once letting go of his beloved. And just as quickly, it made its counterattack: it jumped up, and when it landed, it made a bigger stalagmite shockwave heading toward the sandy blonde in full speed! Obsidian, sensing the danger her friend was in, flew in and grabbed hold of Joey just before the attack even got a chance to hit its mark.

"Thanks girl," Joey said as he mounted the Red Eyes. Once he was on and flying, he turned his attention toward Rex. "You let go of Mai right now you punk!"

"Not a chance!" shouted Rex. He swung his mace sideways, and rock shards came flying upward, striking Obsidian as she flew. Immediately she and Joey fell to the ground, the dragon injured but still alive. Joey jumped off his friend's back and rushed toward his opponent.

"Now you're really making me mad! Take this!" Joey roared as he charged up his long axe for his magic again. But as the Inferno Fire Blast approached, Rex only smirked, and crossed his arms in front of him. Balls of light surrounded him, and those balls quickly changed into spiked rocks. Before Joey could react, the stones shot up, caught fire from his own attack and struck him head on. Though he had only minor burns, the force of the attack was still enough to send him falling to the ground.

"JOEY!" Mai screamed as she watched her boyfriend land on the ground, burned and bleeding. Atemu, Tea and the others all stared in shock, even Seto. As Joey struggled to get onto his knees, he could hear Rex's mocking laughter.

"Pathetic! You're pathetic!" he said, "No wonder you haven't become a Dragon Knight yet! Without your so-called 'friends' to help you out, you don't even stand a chance against the might of Tiamat! Let's just face it, you'll never be a real Dragon Knight, not now, not ever! So why should you bother to keep trying?"

Joey's head was bowed low. The words rang in his head, and they assaulted his heart with a pain even more fierce than the wounds on his body. It was strong, but his righteous fury was even stronger. In a low voice, Joey growled, "The reason… I bother to keep trying… is because in spite of all my setbacks, of all my failures…" Joey lifted his head to reveal a glare that rivaled that of Seto's, enough to make Atemu proud. "…I still have hope!" Slowly, he stood up in spite of the pain, fueled by the fire of the very hope that he spoke of, shocking Rex to no end. "I want to become a Dragon Knight!" Joey continued, raising his voice, "For my sister Serenity, for Atemu, Tea, and all my friends! But most importantly, I want to become a Dragon Knight for the woman I love! I will not give up until Bahamut sees me worthy to merge with my dragon! So even when the odds are against me, I refuse to back down!" Now it was Rex's turn to be angry. How dare this wannabe defy him!

"Fine, then I'll make sure your dream is never fulfilled! Prepare to die!" Rex roared, and he swung his mace downward and unleashed his stalagmite shockwave, and at the same time conjured up the rock shards and sent them flying.

"Watch out Joey!" Atemu shouted as he and all the others watched in shock. Joey simply closed his eyes, even as the magical rock attack sped up toward him. _Bahamut, my faith in you is strong._ he thought, _If you see me worthy to join your ranks, send me your aid in any way you can!_ No sooner than he finished his thought than Obsidian stood up, spread her wings and let out a mighty roar before she started to glow. Joey turned around as the glow surrounding his Red Eyes Black Dragon became brighter. _Obsidian… you wanted to help me save the others too, don't you girl?_ Obsidian let out another roar in reply and once she became a large white light, she surged toward her friend. As the light enveloped him, he could feel her power pulsing into his body. So great was the power that the rock assault was destroyed in an instant.

"What?!" Rex hollered. The group had to cover their eyes because the light was so bright. When at last the light faded, they looked up and gasped in awe.

"Joey…" Tristan gasped, "Y-your dragon…! She…!" For Obsidian had indeed taken a new shape. Black dragonscale boots covered Joey's feet, and on his forearms there were black armbands glistening with metallic scales. A black scaly breastplate covered his chest, and large metallic wings resembling that of the Red Eyes graced the back. Finally on Joey's head was a helmet in the distinct shape of Obsidian's own head, and he floated in the air, tall and proud with his long axe in hand. Atemu, Tea, Mahaado and Mana, Lia, Tristan, Mai, the Harpy Lady sisters, and even Seto, all stared in awe as they realized what just happened: by the grace of Bahamut, Obsidian had become Joey's armor!

"No way!" Rex stuttered, "That can't be possible! Gilasaurus, take him down NOW!" Gilasaurus obeyed its master's command, and it charged toward the newly armored blonde.

"You're going down you big lizard!" Joey declared, "All right Obsidian, let give it our all! INFERNO FIRE BLAST!!!" And with his long axe charged up with the dragon's fire, Joey made his swing and unleashed his magical fire, which had become even stronger than ever before! When it struck the tyrannosaurus monster, it roared in pain and let go of Mai before the fire consumed it completely. Mai screamed as she fell, but Joey quickly flew down and caught her in his arms just in time. Mai was quite surprised at the fact that she was being carried bridal style by her newly made knight in shining armor, and she found herself blushing a very deep pink.

"Joey, you…" Mai gasped, "You finally merged with your dragon! Does that mean that you're…?"

"Yes," replied Joey with a smile, "I finally get to become a full-fledged Dragon Knight, just like Atemu and Seto." Upon hearing this, a smile crept up Mai's face.

"Oh, Joey! Now you really are my knight in shining armor!" she said softly as she inched closer to his face. "Oh, I love you so much Joey."

"I love you too, Mai." Joey said, before he let his lips meet with that of his beloved in a sweet passionate kiss. Of course, that kiss didn't last as long as they wanted it to, for they heard Rex roar in anger from right below them.

"This is an outrage!" he bellowed, "All my precious dinosaurs have been brought to extinction by the likes of you! Now I've got no choice but to take you all down myself!" He had just barely lifted his mace when a loud booming noise was heard and the whole cave started shaking. Atemu managed to get to his feet by then, and he smirked to himself.

"Looks like our reinforcements have arrived!" he said. Indeed, just outside of the cave, the Fortress Whale was launching its own attack, along with Slifer, Seiyaru and Azure!

"Fire!" Mako shouted from the balcony of the fortress, and the cannons fired. Ruby, not wanting to be left out, charged up her arrows with powerful magic and launched them when the cannons blared.

"Yeah, show those Claws of Tiamat who's boss!" Great White shouted as Seiyaru unleashed her Razor Fire Blast upon the weak spots of the cave. The explosions were immense, and Kisara was getting more worried every minute.

"Seto! Atemu!" she cried, "We have to get them all out before they get crushed!"

"Don't worry Sis," Marik said, "We got someone to pick 'em up!" On cue, Slifer and Azure rushed forward. Back inside the cave, boulders were starting to fall as the walls were collapsing around them.

"C'mon everyone!" Tea called out as she tried to lift Seto, "We've got to get out of here, and fast!"

"Airo, Keraino, Octipite, take your Pet Dragon and move on out!" Mai shouted as Joey started flying out at full speed. The Harpy Ladies did not have to be told twice! Mahaado and Mana rushed forward to their friend and lifted him up.

"Let's go Atemu," Mahaado said, "It is my duty and Mana's duty to protect you." Atemu gave a small smile.

"Thank you my friend." he said.

"Look everyone," Lia said, pointing to the entrance of the cave, "Azure's come to our aid!" At that moment, Rex unleashed his rock shard attack toward Seto and Tea, but Azure breathed out her White Lightning Attack and obliterated it before it even had a chance to reach its target.

"Azure!" Seto called out before wincing in pain. Quickly Tea helped the blue eyed knight mount his Blue Eyes and she grabbed hold of Lia before flying out.

"Thunder Dragon snap out of it and get us out of this cave!" Tristan yelled. The Thunder Dragon snapped out of his daze from the attack and managed to fly over and take his friend out of the cave.

"Come back here you wimps!" Rex threatened, "I'm not done with you yet!"

"On the contrary," Atemu shouted, "I believe we're more than done with you!" Soon Slifer came up and allowed the three childhood friends to mount him before he flew out, leaving Rex behind. When he was far enough, Slifer unleashed his breath weapon and obliterated the entrance to the cave. Thus trapped inside, Rex resorted to teleporting in order to escape. As much as he hates to return to the dragon bone tower since his plan had failed miserably, he didn't have much of a choice. Meanwhile, far from the now ruined cave, the dragons went into the water for some well-deserved rest. Kisara swam forward as soon as Azure went in.

"Seto! Atemu!" she called out, and when she came close enough, she gasped in shock. Happy Lover flew out and cried out in a worried voice. "Oh no, Seto! Are you all right!" Kisara said. He looked up and smiled at her.

"I'm fine." he said, "I'm just glad you're okay." Of course, he found himself coughing up more blood, making Kisara even more worried. Ishizu went up to Atemu as he dismounted and let himself fall in the water. Once she caught him, her eyes widened at the sight of the bleeding claw marks on her big brother's back.

"Atemu! What happened?" she said.

"I'll explain when we get to the shore by Castle Aria." Atemu said, "Besides, it's Seto you need to attend to once we get there."

"Ahoy everyone!" Mako called out, "I'm glad you made it in one piece!" The fisherman then looked up and stared at Joey with wide eyes. "Hey, Joey, what's up with the armor? And where's Obsidian?" Scorch also took notice and flew out to inspect his friend.

"You don't have to worry about that." Joey replied, "I just merged with her. She's become the armor you see now."

"Really?!" Mako said before he gasped, "By the gods of the sea, you've finally proved yourself worthy in the eyes of Bahamut! You finally get to be a Dragon Knight!"

"Well, the knighting ceremony would have to wait," Mai said, "we need to tend to some injures, so let's get back as soon as we can!" Kuriboh jumped out of the Fortress Whale and swam to Atemu, who held him close.

"Kuriboh," Atemu said, "I'm so happy to know you care about me!" Kuriboh squealed in contentment, knowing his friend will be all right. Once the Prince mounted his dragon again, the whole group proceeded to move homeward. Kisara lagged behind a bit before she dove down into the water. She scanned the ocean floor feeling sad about what she had lost. But then some twinkling light grabbed her attention. Curious, she swam toward the flickering light, and saw that it was a silver color. Immediately, she started digging, and gasped in joy. There it was, the Blue Eyes White Dragon brooch that she thought she lost forever! She clutched it to her heart, pearly tears of joy streaming down her scaly cheeks.

"Kisara!" Ishizu called out, "Are you coming or not?"

"Sorry Big Sister," Kisara called out in reply, "I'm coming!" As she quickened her pace, she thought to herself, _I'd better keep this from Seto until the time is just right._ She blushed at the very thought of her ocean-eyed knight and swam onward.

Note: Yes! This chapter's all done! I'm already looking forward to writing the next chapter! Until next time!


	13. Chapter 13

Note: Woohoo! I finally got this chapter done! I worked so hard! Shadi makes a reappearance in this chapter, so enjoy!

Chapter 13: Healing, and a Chat with Shadi

After a few minutes, the group finally reached the sandy shores of Castle Aria. Luckily Marik gathered some seaweed on the way and created some makeshift bandages for his eldest brother, and Joey was able to fly to their destination before he could lose any more blood. Once at the beach, Happy Lover joined with Ishizu as she inspected the wounded.

"So what happened back at that cave?" she asked her eldest brother, "When Kisara came out without you we all started to get worried."

"Well Ishizu," Atemu replied, wincing in pain from his back injury, "let's just say that our little rescue mission became more complicated than we planned. We would certainly be dead if it wasn't for Joey's bravery." Joey, his dragon still in armor form, couldn't help but smile at his friend's comment. "You don't have to worry about me," Atemu continued, "As I've said before, it's Seto who needs help. Happy Lover is incapable of healing the injury he's got, so you're the best option we have." As he spoke, Azure gently took hold of her master and friend and carefully placed him on the beach. Seto hissed as the pain in his hip began to overwhelm him.

"Oh my!" Ishizu gasped when she saw Seto's nearly protruding hip, "Atemu, lay down and let your friend do his work. I'll go grant your request on tending your rival." As the golden mermaid crawled toward Seto, Atemu did his best to lie down, shifting his body so he won't lay on his heavily claw-scratched back. Before he knew it, he found himself laying his head on a familiar soft lap. The touch of gentle hands holding him confirmed it: his Lady was sitting by him.

"Tea…" he said as he snuggled on her lap.

"Easy there," she said in a soothing voice, "Try not to move."

"It brings back memories." Atemu sighed, "We were just like this when I first came here as a human."

"Yeah," Tea said with a small giggle, "It is nostalgic in a way, isn't it? Only this time, you have clothes on **and** you're able to talk to me." While Atemu tried to relax, Ishizu examined the injured blue eyed knight with deep concentration.

"This must be what my brother is talking about… Your pelvic bone almost got broken." she said, "Not only that, your hip is out of alignment. Don't worry, I know some magic to fix it good as new."

"Well it better work!" Seto groaned with clenched teeth, "My crotch hurts more than my hips!" Kisara watched as her elder sister summoned forth streams of healing magic that surrounded her beloved's injury. She then looked up and saw that Mahaado and Mana were also watching.

"Mahaado, Mana, why aren't you helping Seto?" Kisara asked.

"Well, to be honest Your Highness, even though he is slowly gaining my trust, I still don't fully trust him enough to use my magic on him." answered Mahaado.

"Same with me." Mana piped up.

"Heh, I don't blame you." Seto muttered, for he obviously heard the two Dark Magicians talk about him. At the same time, Happy Lover started his work on healing Atemu. The Prince could feel the heart-shaped beams seal the wounds on his back, keeping it from bleeding any further. While his healing took place, Joey decided to speak up.

"Hey, Atemu," he said, "I don't how to say this, but… you inspired me in more ways than one." Atemu slowly looked up at his friend.

"How so Joey?" he asked.

"As you've known, I've always wanted to become a Dragon Knight, even as a kid." Joey explained as he let Mai prop him up, "You see, my sister and I also had a personal experience with the knights that followed Bahamut. I don't remember how it got started, but when we were very small, our dad started to abuse the use of alcohol. He started beating our mom in order to take out his anger, so she had reason to fear for our safety. And so, one night when the streets were crowded, she attempted to escape from him, taking the two of us with her. But even though Serenity managed to get to safety, I was not so lucky. In the rush to get away we wound up getting separated among the crowd. By the time I caught up with my mom and sister, it was too late for me to join them in the coach they boarded. No matter how hard we tried, we could not slow down the horses so I could get in. As a result, I was left behind, left in the hands of the abusive drunk that was my dad. I still remember Serenity's heartbroken cries and my mom's tears of sorrow as they went farther out of my sight. As bad luck would have it, Dad found me and dragged me back to his house. I endured many harsh words and beatings until I was seven. That was when I finally got the courage to run away. This time my dad didn't find me, and even now I never come back to that place. For a whole year I spent my days hanging out with a gang of thieves." Joey sighed before he continued, "They were thugs, each and every one of 'em. And I would have become a thug too, if it weren't for a certain meeting that changed my life. On that day, in the streets of the marketplace, I made an attempt to steal a wallet from a random commoner. I was about to run back to the other thieves with the loot, when I felt a hand grab hold of me from behind and lift me off the ground. It was a warrior with a flaming sword, and he caught me in the act. One look at him and the other thieves bolted. That was the last I ever saw of that gang."

"A flaming sword…" Atemu said, "That was Blaze that caught you, wasn't it?"

"Yep," Joey replied, "At first, I was terrified of him! I didn't know what he was going to do to me! But then I heard a familiar voice telling him not to hurt me, and when I looked to see who was talking, I couldn't believe my eyes! There stood my little sister Serenity, the one person I thought I would never see again. The moment the two of us hugged each other for the first time in years… that is the most precious moment of my life. When Serenity introduced me to Blaze, he was quite surprised to find that I was her brother. As it turns out, she and our mom had found refuge among the order of Dragon Knights, and have been living under Blaze's care. As soon as he heard my story, Blaze didn't hesitate to take me in. The fear vanished completely when I was reunited with my mom; Blaze is actually a nice guy. From there, things got better. I remember stories of my early childhood about the Dragon Knights and their adventures, and it was the first time visiting the training grounds that showed me that they actually exist. That was how I got my dream of becoming one of them. Blaze saw the potential within me and agreed to become my instructor. On my first day of training, Serenity and I met Tristan, who was still a squire back then. Next was my dragon, Obsidian. Soon after that, we all met Princess Tea, who invited us to come live with her and her monster friends."

"And you've been friends ever since." Atemu said smiling.

"Yep," Joey said with a grin, "I'd tell you about how I met the love of my life, but that's for some other time." Mai couldn't help but giggle sweetly at his comment. "Throughout the years, I had some difficulties in my training. Blaze gave me tons of encouragement, but it wasn't until recently that I perfected my skill with the sword. Even then, I was just about ready to give up. But then you came, Atemu. Although you didn't speak in words back then, the message you gave me was loud and clear: 'Don't give up on your dreams, believe in yourself.' That's how you inspired me Atemu. And now… I finally get to be a real Dragon Knight, just like you. I'm so glad that you and I are friends."

"Me too." Atemu sighed. It was at that moment that Happy Lover had just finished healing the Prince, good as new, and there was no sign of any scars that reveal that he was injured in the first place.

"All right Joey, it's your turn." Mai said as the cute little monster flew toward the sandy blonde. "Oh and by the way, thanks again for saving me."

"No problem Mai." Joey said, leaning towards her as Happy Lover did his work. That was when Mako stepped forward.

"Get some rest Atemu," he said, "I'm going to get Shadi and the others while you sleep and as soon as you all recover, we'll be going to the Church of Bahamut where Joey's going to be knighted." Atemu, already growing tired from the healing, did not hesitate to fall asleep on his Lady's lap. Just like on the day she found him, washed up on the beach as a human.

* * *

The next day, the Church of Bahamut had an aura of excitement. Yet no one was as excited as Joey Freewheeler about this day. As the flat side of the sword touched both shoulders one by one, Joey could feel as though Bahamut himself was watching over him with pride. And Blaze was just as proud of his pupil as all the other Dragon Knights, and he couldn't help but smile. As soon as the newly made Dragon Knight rose to his feet, everyone, including Atemu and the others, applauded in celebration. Only Seto Kaiba was silent, and it was a thoughtful silence. It has been a year since his own knighting, and he never imagined how much his life had changed since then. And now after all the events that occurred, he's got some questions to ask. He patiently waited until the church was almost empty, then he started moving toward the Study where Shadi would meditate on Sundays. "Hey, Big Brother, where are you going?" Mokuba asked. 

"I'm going to have a talk with Bahamut's high priest." Seto replied, "Wanna come with me?"

"Sure." Mokuba said, and the two Kaiba brothers went on towards the Study. Once they got there, they could see that someone else was there too.

"Atemu, I didn't get a chance to tell you this earlier," Shadi said with a soft smile, "but I want to thank you for saving the life of our princess. Furthermore, I must say how happy I am about the fact that you are able to speak again."

"It is I who must thank you Shadi," Atemu said in reply, "You led me to Bahamut, and inspired my conversion to the faith. It is an honor to befriend you."

"Likewise," Shadi said, and then he looked up and saw the blue eyed knight and his little brother, surprised at first, but then the calm expression returned. "Oh, Seto Kaiba, Mokuba, what brings you here on this day of celebration?"

"Actually, I'm here to talk." Seto stated bluntly, "I've got some questions to ask you. You see, my magic is starting to fail on me. Whenever I tried to activate the White Lightning with my sword, it just wore thin and disappeared on me. I've never felt so helpless in my life, and it's happened twice now. Why is it doing this to me?" Shadi's expression turned serious. He knew exactly what's going on.

"I figured something like this would happened." Shadi said, "Do you remember that first sword duel you had with Atemu?"

"Of course I do!" Seto said, "I don't want to, but I remember! What does **that** have to do with the fact that I'm losing my ability to cast the White Lightning?"

"A lot more than you realize." replied Shadi, "You see, when you used your White Lightning to attack Atemu, you were fueling that magic with your rage and jealousy."

"My rage… and… jealousy?" Seto gasped.

"At that time, you were still having that crush on Princess Tea, and you couldn't bear the thought of her falling in love with another man." Shadi explained, "So when Atemu came and slowly began to succeed in winning the princess' heart, your jealous rage knew no bounds. And thus your heart was blinded by that rage, especially on that sword duel that occurred a few days after the dragon race. When you used your sword to channel the magic of White Lightning in order to gain an advantage, you fueled that magic with your jealousy and rage. Bahamut himself did not appreciate how you abused of your gift in this way, and that's why your magic began to grow weak." Seto's eyes were wide with shock, as he recalled the whole duel in his head. The rage he felt when he received the two cuts from the former merman right off the bat, the moment he used the White Lightning Attack to retaliate, and the harsh taunt he gave him in a failed attempt to lower his morale, all those moments came back to haunt him, and the tears began to form in his eyes.

"So because of my jealousy…" Seto said in a hushed tone, "I lost Bahamut's trust…?" In spite of the bitter memories, even Atemu felt sorry for his rival, who was beginning to break down.

"Shadi, is there any way he can regain the trust of the Blue Eyes Platinum Dragon?" Atemu asked.

"Yes," Shadi replied, "but it will be rather difficult."

"I don't care how difficult it is!" Seto blurted out, "I need the chance to prove myself! I owe Kisara so much for helping me see the truth, and I want to make up for all the things I've done in the past!"

"Kisara?" Shadi asked quizzically, but then he smiled in realization. "Oh, you must be speaking about Atemu's Deep Dweller sister." That comment left Seto speechless. In his mind he could feel his jaw dropping as Shadi gave a pleasant laugh. "Surprised at how I knew about her? I also know that Atemu, or rather his Highness, was a former Deep Dweller himself. I know this because once he got his voice back, he told me everything."

"Oh, so you must have known about my brother's feelings for--" Mokuba said smiling, but he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, because Seto quickly covered his little brother's mouth, blushing the whole time. Atemu chuckled at Mokuba's antics. There's no doubt this little boy knows what he knows.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about," said Atemu, "I can tell that you really care about my sister. In fact, I think your friendship with her is growing into something more than that."

"Eh?! Wha--?! What are you?! I mean--" Seto stuttered. He was blushing furiously by now, as thoughts of the white mermaid saturated his brain like a sponge absorbing water. And not only that, his heartbeat was getting faster. It took a small moment of silence to calm him down enough to let him speak again. "Well, I don't know exactly what I'm feeling. All I know is that… I want to spend time with her, to go down and see her world…"

"Hmm, so you want to go under the sea? Perhaps I can help you." Shadi said, "Wait just one moment." The High Priest of Bahamut went toward one of the shelves, and have shifting the contents, he came back with a strange plant in his hands. It looked exactly like a water lily, streaked with blue. "You may not realize this," Shadi said, "but I have a garden full of magical herbs. There are different kinds of herbs each with their own magic. As you can see for example, this is no ordinary water lily. Its petals hold some useful magic: those that consume the petals are bestowed upon them the ability to adapt to the undersea world. Under the effect of this herb you will receive gills for breathing underwater and your fingers and toes will become webbed to enhance you skill in swimming. You will see and hear more clearly underwater as well. Of course, these are the only alterations to your body, but they can make you travels under the sea much easier. The magic is only temporary however, for one petal lasts for a duration for five hours, so if you want to stay undersea for a bit longer than that you must consume two or more petals to multiply the duration." Seto was nevertheless awestruck and filled with excitement. This flower is the key to entering Kisara's undersea realm!

"Shadi… that's amazing!" Seto said, "Are you sure you have enough for **me**?"

"Heheheh, I always have plenty of these flowers growing in my garden!" Shadi said with a smile. As it turns out, Seto wasn't the only one filled with joy.

"Shadi, can you give me some of those petals too?" Atemu asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Why of course Atemu." Shadi said, "Why do you ask?"

"It's… well… it's quite personal." Atemu said, his voice beginning to choke with the tears that started to flow, "The night before I became a human, I looked upon the view of my old home, and I thought this was the last time I would ever see it. I haven't returned since then. I would rather remain a human, even to this day, but I still miss the sea. But now, you showed me that this would not be the last time I will visit my old home! You don't know how much this means to me!" The tears of joy streamed down his cheeks and he hugged the High Priest of Bahamut.

"It gives me joy to know that you would be able to visit the place of your origins." Shadi said once the embrace was broken, "If you want, you can also treat our newest Dragon Knight on a tour to the sea. Is that all right with you?"

"Yes! I would be honored!" Atemu replied.

"And I can hardly wait to see Kisara again!" Seto said.

"All right then," Shadi said, "Before I let you take a choice number of lily petals, I want to tell you how this works. Pay close attention and do exactly as I say when you get near the sea…"

Note: Do I sense an upcoming underwater adventure on the horizon? That in the next chapter! Until next time!


	14. Chapter 14

Note: All Right! The next chapter is done! Again, that you so much for your reviews! Sunrise Phoenix, I think you should re-read the last chapter. Shadi mentioned that the ones who eat the petals of the magic water lily would have _subtle_ aquatic traits. That means Atemu will still be a human, just with some minor aquatic changes that sigificantly adapt to the underwater world. So without further ado, enjoy the next part of the story!

Chapter 14: Ocean Homecoming

The waves crashed against the tall rocks from below a cliff, the top of which was pointing out towards deeper water, almost like a natural diving board. It was here that a certain group of friends looked over to the sea.

"So, you mind telling me how this works again?" Joey asked in confusion as he looked at the three petals of the magical water lily in his hands.

"According to Shadi, you're supposed to eat the whole petal in order for the magic to work." Atemu explained, "It lasts five hours for each petal, so I brought three for each of us to make a total of fifteen hours."

"Gotcha. I'll keep that in mind." Joey said, satisfied, but then his face once again showed a look of confusion as he said, "There is one more question though. If there's more than one petal involved, do you eat them one at a time or all at once?" Atemu merely sweatdropped and sighed, while Seto smirked at the whole scene. The new Dragon Knight is still the same old dumb mutt in his opinion. But enough about him, there's something more exciting to think about. For the coming journey, Atemu and Seto were clad only in their pants, with the blue eyed knight having his pants up to his knees. Joey was in the outfit that he wore when the former merman first came ashore as a human, and Atemu smiled as he looked as his friend's vest and Capri-like pants. Mahaado and Mana were also with them, in their usual magical robes, as was Princess Tea, Mokuba Kaiba, and the fisherman Mako Tsunami.

"Atemu, I'm so happy that you get to visit your family again," she said, hugging her beloved, "I sure wish I can come with you today, I really do want to see the wonders of the ocean with you."

Atemu returned her hug, allowing her to lean her head against his chest. "Don't worry about it. I don't know when, but I'll make sure you get a chance to come with me sometime."

"Thank you." Tea said, and the two lovers kissed each other for a brief moment before Atemu withdrew and stepped toward the edge of the cliff.

"Hey Seto," Mokuba said, "Kisara's going to be here, right? I bet you're waiting for her to show up!"

"Yep, she's coming." Seto said, blushing quite suddenly.

"All right!" Mokuba shouted in joy, "Tell me all about it when you get back, okay?" Then the boy stepped closer to his big brother and in a soft tone of voice he said, "You **are** gonna kiss her this time, aren't you?" That did it. Seto's eyes widened in a surprised sort of shock, and his face became as red as a beet.

"Erk! N-now what gave you **that** idea?" Seto said nervously. Mokuba just giggled. Suddenly, everyone heard a splash from below the cliff and they rushed forward to meet with Atemu and Joey and peered over the edge. Seto quickly regained his composer, only to find himself blushing yet again, for his white mermaid princess was down there, a bright smile gracing her face.

"Atemu, hi there!" Kisara called out cheerfully, "I heard that you found a way to come back to the sea!"

"It's only for a visit Kisara," Atemu called out in reply, "but believe me, this venture is going to be worthwhile!"

"Well my friends, I guess it's time to head out to sea!" Mako announced with a grin. Mahaado and Mana nodded, then they floated away from the cliff and transformed back into Dolphin Folk before diving into the water.

Once they resurfaced, Mahaado called out, "Atemu, are you ready to go?"

"I'm more than ready!" Atemu shouted, and he took the three lily petals up and said to the others, "Let's put this flower to the test, shall we?"

Seto shook out of his daze, and said blushing, "What? Oh right, right…" The blue eyed knight curled his lips into a smirk. "Gladly." With that, Atemu put all three petals into his mouth and Seto and Joey followed in suit. As he chewed the petals up, Atemu couldn't help but grimace. For a flower that looks pretty, it doesn't exactly taste as good. On the bright side, at least it's better than the potion that made him a human. Seto was doing his very best to keep a straight face, but Joey wasn't as subtle. He briefly stuck out his tongue, almost gagging at the horrible taste in his mouth. Yet none of the threesome dared to spit out the petals, and once they had them all chewed up, they swallowed. They could feel a wave of magical energy surrounding their bodies before it faded as quickly as it came. A few seconds passed before Joey spoke up.

"Uhhhh Atemu… I don't feel anything growing on me. Is it really working?" Joey asked.

"Only one way to find out." Atemu said. He stepped backwards until he was a good distance from the edge of the cliff. Then suddenly he ran to the edge in full speed. And when the former merman reached the edge, he jumped and made a high dive right into the deep part of the ocean. Once underwater, Atemu let himself sink down a little deeper. The whole time, he was holding his breath, just in case. Soon, he felt a strange prickly feeling on the sides of his neck. It was as though something pinched him there, and Atemu clutched the left side of his neck with his left hand. What he felt took him by surprise for a moment. There were four slits slightly covered with skin that opened briefly on the bottom. Touching the right side of his neck revealed the same thing. Atemu stopped holding his breath, and was amazed as he gasped in a breath of fresh… water! It dawned on him right at that moment: those were his gills!

"Atemu?" Kisara asked as she swam up to him.

"Kisara…!" Atemu said, and he was delighted to find that he can use his voice underwater too. In fact, the sounds around him are becoming more and more clear, and his vision is becoming clear as well! And once his vision cleared up, he looked down. At first, it seemed like there was no change to his feet, but then he spread his toes. Imagine his amazement when he saw that he had a delicate webbing in between his toes. He then looked at his hands, and saw that his fingers were also webbed. A smile crept upon the Prince's lips. The petals of the magic water lily actually work!

"Hey, Prince Atemu!" a voice called telepathically in his head. Atemu was surprised at first but then he smiled as he recognized Mana's voice. It has been a while since his Dolphin Folk friends had used telepathy to speak to him. "Wow!" Mana said, "You're still human, and yet at the same time you're a creature of the sea again!"

"It's good to see you swimming from a fish's point of view again Mana." Atemu said, his baritone voice rippling in the water. "I didn't even realize how much I miss having webbed fingers. So at least I'll enjoy the sensation until the magic wears off." Kisara giggled with delight. Her brother is coming back to his old home, if only for a moment.

"Atemu," Mahaado said, "I think you should go back up to the Realm Above for a bit. We don't want your friends to get worried about you now, do we?"

"Oh, good idea." Atemu said, and he swished his legs in the style of a dolphin and swam upward. Meanwhile, back on the surface, the humans stared at the water.

"Why isn't he coming up?" Seto asked, and Joey started to panic.

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed, "He didn't drown, did he?!" As if to answer his question, Atemu burst out of the water, gasping in air for his lungs as his gills shut tight.

"Hey everyone!" Atemu shouted in joy, "The magic of the water lily actually works!" Tea graced him with a joyful smile, while Mako smirked at Joey.

"You were saying?" said the fisherman. Joey stared down with wide surprised eyes, blinking momentarily.

"Whoa!" Joey finally said, "How'd you manage to get it working?"

"I know it's a wild guess, but I think you have to actually get in the water in order to activate the spell." Atemu explained. "In any case come on in, the true merfolk are waiting!"

"Uh, sure thing buddy." Joey said.

"Are you sure this is gonna work for us?" Seto asked in annoyance.

"Like Atemu said, there's only one way to find out." Joey said, before turning his attention to the princess. "We'll see you in fifteen hours!" Then before anyone could react, the sandy blonde grabbed hold of Seto by the arm and dragged him off the cliff and into the water with him! With a loud splash the two of them sank deep into open water, both of them holding their breath. It was at that moment that they too felt the prickling sensations on their necks. Immediately Seto clutched his, and as he did so, he felt the skin open up in three harmless slits that formed his gills. Kisara swam towards him, smiling.

"Seto," she said, "You don't have to hold your breath now." And Seto heard loud and clear. Come to think of it, her beautiful voice was becoming vividly clear to him in this watery world. And his vision cleared as well. Once again he was looking at his blue eyes white mermaid in all her undersea glory, but this time her visage had become even more beautiful than ever before. He gasped in an enchanted amazement… Imagine his surprise when he realized that he was able to breathe underwater! He felt his neck again. He has gills! Looking at his body, he also discovered his webbed fingers and toes. He didn't concentrate long on his new aquatic adaptations, though. He looked all around him and saw a wonderful world all around him. The water filtered the sun so that it created breathtaking beams of light. From a distance, he saw a school of fish swimming about, and their scales sparkled in the light of the sun.

"Beautiful!" Seto said in awe. By then, Atemu had already swam back down.

"Isn't it, though?" Atemu said, "This was once my home, but even after spending time away from it I still know my way around." Kisara giggled as she swam circles around the blue eyed knight. He couldn't help but blush as he watched her. The mermaid princess suddenly stopped, however.

"Oh dear!" she said, and the others looked in her direction. There was Joey, still holding his breath and turning a bit blue in the cheeks. Apparently, he didn't even notice his own transformation, and was oblivious to the fact that he has gills.

"Should we tell him?" Mana asked.

"Yes Mana," Mahaado replied, "I think we should."

"I'll do it." Seto said in frustration, and he swam toward the near-choking blonde. Bluntly, he spoke a single command to Joey, "Mutt? Breathe." And that's exactly what Joey did, gasping loudly.

"Aw man, for a moment I thought I was gonna suffocate!" Joey said. Only then did he get a better look at himself. He looks the same, and yet he managed to notice the subtle aquatic features; his enthusiasm grew instantly. "Wha? No way! This is awesome!" With the others watching, Joey started swimming about. "Check me out! I'm swimming just like a fish!"

"Heh, you swim more like a dogfish to me." Seto snickered.

"Say what?!" Joey fumed, "It's bad enough that you call me a mutt, but now you're adding '**dogfish**' to the list?! THAT TICKS ME OFF KAIBA!!!"

"All right you two, break it up." Atemu said, getting in between the two of them, "We just got here, so let's not waste time arguing."

"That's right," Mana said, "There's so much to see down here, so c'mon!" Soon, she and Mahaado swam out in front of them, and Joey gave Atemu a cheerful grin.

"I guess it's time to get this tour started, eh buddy?" he said.

"Right." Atemu agreed, smirking, "Follow me, Joey. It may have been a while since I left this place, but I still know my way around."

Kisara took hold of Seto's now webbed hand, her cheerful laughter caressing his spine. "C'mon Seto," she said, "This is your first time down here after all, so let me show you around too!" At first, Seto gave no reply. For a moment, he was completely spellbound by the beautiful, kindhearted Deep Dweller before him. But then he smiled and gave a simple nod. With that, Kisara flicked her tail and she was off, with Seto swimming close by her. As they traveled deeper in the ocean, following the Prince and his friends, Seto stared in awe at all the wonders that were around him. From below him, he saw a breathtaking coral reef, with all kinds of colorful fish swimming about. The coral swayed with the tides, and many revealed themselves to be alive. Seto swam up to get a closer look, careful not to damage any of the coral in the process. He watched in amazement as the many different fish traveled to and fro, ranging from clownfish to angelfish and others to numerous to mention. He even saw a lionfish swim by, and he can see how much that fish had in common with Kisara and her family. By the coral reef was a bed of dancing sea kelp, and he was quick to notice a couple of seahorses floating among it. What an incredible experience! To see things like seahorses up close and personal, he couldn't help but feel enchanted. If only Mokuba was with him to see all this! Not to mention his four Blue Eyes White Dragons!

"What do you think Seto?" Kisara asked.

"Kisara… it's beautiful!" Seto gasped. _But not as beautiful as you are, my mermaid princess._ he thought as he looked at her, blushing as he did so. _Oh, there's that thought again!_

"Well, there's a lot more where that came from!" Kisara said, "C'mon, we'll be approaching my kingdom soon, so we gotta catch up with my brother!"

_Her kingdom!_ Seto thought, growing excited, _Finally, I get to see her home with my own eyes!_ The two of them picked up speed, and quickly swam toward Atemu and his friends. Joey was looking rather silly as he made faces with a pufferfish, and Atemu was himself trying to grab his friend's attention. "Hey Dogfish," Seto said smirking, "you ready to head to the Deep Dweller's city?" That snapped him out of his puffy-cheeked trance.

"DOGFISH?!" Joey roared. Luckily Atemu swam in front of him.

"Calm down Joey, don't let him intimidate you." Atemu said, "Besides, it's about time we go see where I used to live."

"All right! Show me the way!" Joey said, his anger forgotten.

"Gladly." Mahaado said telepathically, "Let's go Mana."

"Okay Mahaado, wait up!" Mana said as she started swimming ahead.

"The Dolphin Folk use telepathy when they're underwater." Atemu explained to a confused Joey, "It's because they're air breathers, and they had to hold their breath when they go undersea." Seto, of course, already knew that; Kisara had told him about it earlier. While the group was swimming toward their destination, Atemu floated by Seto's side while Kisara swam ahead. "Seto, can I talk to you for a second?" asked the Prince once his sister was out of earshot. "You remember me telling you that your feelings for my sister are becoming something more than friendship, right?"

"Yeah." Seto said.

"And yet you don't know what that feeling is, correct?"

"That's correct."

"Then let me ask you this Seto. What is your heart telling you?" Seto stared at the Prince and soon he realized exactly what he was experiencing in his heart.

"It knows… more than I thought I know." Seto said in a hushed tone. "Thanks to your words, I now understand what it's been telling me all this time. Kisara… I'm in love with her. And the love I feel for her is certainly different from what I felt for Princess Tea. **This** love feels more passionate, more intense… more complete. Is this what true love feels like?"

"Yes." Atemu replied with a smile, "And there's much more to it than you can imagine. I know, because even now I experience the same feeling when I think of Tea."

"Hey Atemu!" Joey shouted in excitement, "Check it out!" Atemu and Seto looked ahead where Joey was shouting. Their surroundings were starting to get dark, and soon they can see several gigantic shells and rock formations, all glowing with bright multicolored lights. Even the coral beds and sea flowers glowed with a light of their own. Atemu smiled.

"Kisara," he said to his sister, "We're home." The other two humans gasped in awe. From a distance they saw the city of the Deep Dwellers, and its crowning glory, the Coral Palace.

"Whoa!" Joey said, "This is where you grew up?!"

"Yes Joey. This is where I used to reside with my father, King Akunumkanon, and my mother, his queen."

"Well Atemu, this is where Mana and I will leave you." Mahaado said, "The air of the Realm Above will call us soon. May we meet again in due time!" Then the Dolphin Folk sea mage began to swim away, and Mana followed him, but not before waving cheerfully to the four travelers.

"I'll see you later guys!" she said, "Bye."

"Bye Mana!" Kisara said just as cheerfully.

"Kisara, would you mind showing Seto some more wonders of the sea?" Atemu asked.

"Sure Atemu, I'd love to!" she replied.

"But what about the Palace?" Seto said, "I'd like to go there at the moment."

"You will someday, Kaiba, but not now." Atemu explained, "Mother and Father have learned about you through my grandpa and my other siblings, but I don't know what they think of you, so I don't want to take any risks in bringing you here."

"I understand." Seto said, though he was disappointed. On the bright side, he reasoned, at least he'll spend some more time with his Blue Eyes White Mermaid. That thought was enough to make him smile. "So, where to Kisara?"

"Heeheehee, Follow me Seto," Kisara said in excitement, "There's something really cool I want to show you! I know you're going to love this!" And off they swam, leaving Atemu and Joey behind.

"So, if it's all right with you, can I make a rendezvous at the Coral Palace?" Joey asked.

"Of course you can." Atemu said with a smile, "My parents know about your friendship with me and their trust in you is very strong." His expression suddenly turned quite serious as the two of them swam toward the palace. "Of course, meeting with my parents will be difficult for me, especially my father. As the eldest child of the royal family, I was supposed to become the next King of the Deep Dwellers, and as far as **I** know my father wanted me to follow in his tail swishings more than anyone else in my family. I still feel like I disappointed him when I abandoned my inheritance for the sake of love. I have no regrets in doing so, but still, I can't help but feel like I let him down. So with the thought of showing myself to him after all that happened… I'm scared."

Note: Following in one's 'tail swishings' is the merfolk equivalent of following in one's 'footsteps'. Anyway, time for me to write the next chapter... and a couple of oneshots in honor of Halloween! Until Next time!


	15. Chapter 15

Note: Yippee! I've finished the next chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Matters of the Heart

With a speed that can match a dolphin, Atemu and Joey entered the city of the Deep Dwellers. As they did so, they could see a large variety of Deep Dwellers staring at them with deep curiosity, and they could her them speak amongst themselves.

"Are those humans?"

"Fascinating!"

"I didn't think they could swim that well."

"Mommy, look at those two mermen. They look weird."

"Sweetie, these are humans. They lave legs instead of tails, and they don't have scaly skin." Needless to say, at first, Joey felt rather uncomfortable with all those eyes looking at him.

"Hey, uh, Atemu?" Joey asked nervously, "Why are they staring at us like that?"

"It's all right, they're just curious about us." Atemu explained, "After all, it's not everyday that humans venture down here." Soon the eyes of those very same Deep Dwellers widened in amazement.

"Is that Prince Atemu?"

"How is this possible?"

"I heard he became a human recently."

"Deep Dweller or human, he's still so dreamy!" Atemu suddenly heard a group of loud squeals, and immediately took notice of a group of Deep Dweller mermaids, all of whom were swimming happily towards him. His eyes widened and he sweatdropped, for he recognized them all as the rabid fangirls that come to all of his performances. Before he could react, the mermaids piled themselves upon him and Joey, who was rather surprised at the sudden surge.

"Atemu, we missed you! Please come sing for us! Can your human friend sing too? Oh, he's so cute!" Joey found himself blushing, feeling a bit aroused by all those sexy Deep Dweller mermaids huddling around him.

"I thank you for your adoration, ladies," Atemu said so the mermaids could hear him, "But I can't give you any performances right now." Quickly he grabbed hold of Joey's arm and gently shoved his way out of the crowd with him. "Let's go Joey." He said, kicking his legs like a dolphin to speed up his swim. The mermaids tried to chase after them, but as luck would have it, the fishy bouncers arrived on the scene to push them back. "Thanks for the help guys!" Atemu called out to his bouncers.

"Wow, those chick really dig you Atemu!" Joey said as he swam after his friend, "Come to think of it, I think they're starting to like me too…" Then his eyes widened. "Hey, hold on a sec! Atemu… y-y-you can _**sing**_?!"

"Why of course, Joey." Atemu said with a proud smile, "Were you surprised?"

"Well, DUH!" Joey said, "Mai said that you have a sexy voice, and I know she's right about that, but man I didn't think it was **that** sexy! No wonder those mermaids are going gaga over you!"

Atemu chuckled, "Well, everyone brags about how I have the most handsome voice in all the kingdom, but out of choice I rarely sing. Instead, I usually let Kisara take the spotlight, since she has a voice whose beauty is equal to mine."

"Awesome! So she can sing too!" Joey said, growing excited, "Hey, maybe the two of you could sing a couple of songs for me and Tea sometime."

"I'm planning on doing just that! In fact I'm planning on showing my gift to everyone, even your sister, Serenity." Atemu said with a smirk. Joey's face lit up instantly, especially since he found that his sister is invited. By that time, the two of them had already made it to the main gateway to the Coral Palace. And guess who was waiting just outside, along with two dumbfounded gate guards?

"Hey Bro!" Marik greeted, "Didn't expect to see you down here! Or you friend, for that matter!"

"Marik!" Atemu said, giving his younger brother a hug. "I'm so glad to see you again."

"Hey, wassup!" Joey said with a grin, "Hope you don't mind if we had a visit with you."

"Well come on in then! Gramps and Ishizu are waiting for you, not to mention Mom and Dad." Although he didn't show it, Atemu once again grew worried. A confrontation with his father is inevitable. Soon the three were inside the palace, and Joey couldn't help but marvel at the sight within.

"Aw man, Tea's gonna feel at home when she sees this!" he said in awe.

"Atemu? Is that you?" a voice called out, and the Prince's face lit up. For there, swimming towards him, was Solomon and Ishizu.

"Grandpa! Ishizu!" Atemu cried in joy, and he hugged each family member respectively.

"Welcome home Atemu!" Ishizu said with a serene smile. When they broke the hug, she turned toward the sandy blonde and said, "And I'm flattered that you're here too Joey. Welcome to the Coral Palace." Joey rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish grin spread upon his face.

"Well, since you're new and all that stuff, this'll be a good time to take you on a tour." Marik suggested.

"An excellent idea, Marik." Solomon said, "Come along, Joey."

"All right!" Joey cheered, "I hope you got something good to eat on the way. All that swimming is making me hungry!" Atemu shook his head. Some things never change.

"Atemu," Ishizu said, grabbing her brother's attention, "Father heard of your coming here just now. He and Mother want to see you." Atemu's smile faded, once again replaced with a worried frown.

"I was afraid of that." he said in a somber tone of voice.

"Hey don't worry about it buddy!" Joey said as he was getting ready to follow the two mermen, "Just go talk to your mom and dad and everything will be just fine."

"I sure hope so." Atemu replied, his voice tinged with a little fear and doubt.

"Atemu!" a booming male voice called out, making said Prince jump.

"F-Father?" Atemu called in reply, feeling nervous and scared at the same time.

"I want you to come here and see me in the throne room." Atemu sighed in defeat. _Oh Bahamut, I don't want to go see him,_ he thought, _but it seems like I have no choice. Might as well get it over with._

"All right Father, I'm coming." Atemu said, and he swam slowly toward his destination.

* * *

What took only a single minute felt like an eternity for Prince Atemu, before he finally reached the entrance to the throne room. He floated nearby, pausing to recollect himself. Many members of his family said that he was destined to become the next King of the Deep Dwellers, yet for the sake of love he deserted that destiny. He never regrets doing so, but what about his father? What would he think of it? As far as he knows it would be more than likely that his father would be angry at him. The very thought of it fills his heart with both pride and shame.

"Atemu!" the King's voice called again. Atemu sighed. He couldn't delay any longer. Slowly, he swam into the throne room. The room itself was vast, and in front of the Prince, sitting on their thrones in all their royal splendor, were King Akunumkanon and his queen, Atemu's father and mother. The whole time he swam towards them, he did not look up at them. At first, there hardly seems to be any emotion on the King's face. "Atemu, you really did become a human, didn't you?" he said. Atemu had no need to answer, for his expression said it all. "Your mother and I couldn't help but worry about you." Akunumkanon continued, "Ever since Kisara's fifteenth birthday, you haven't been acting like yourself. You seemed rather… depressed. And neither of us knew why until you disappeared from the palace. On that day, your siblings revealed to me that you have fallen in love with a human princess. Is it true?"

"Yes Father." Atemu said, not looking up once. Akunumkanon soon gave a soft smile, reaching out his webbed hand to gently lift his son's head by the chin.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, my son." he said. This certainly caught Atemu by surprise.

"But Father, I--"

"Please, Atemu, come and have a seat with us." The lovely Queen said kindly, "We have much to talk about." The Prince was very much flabbergasted, but nevertheless, he floated over to take a seat by his father. "The moment we heard of your romance with this princess, Tea, we were fearful for your safety." The Queen said, "Who wouldn't be? Many love stories involving merfolk and humans end in tragedy, often with the death of the one lover or even both. But in the end, you showed us all that you and the human are not one of those tragic figures." And with those words, the Queen smiled. "You conquered all the odds, Atemu, and we couldn't be any happier."

"You're happy… for me?" Atemu asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Atemu." Akunumkanon replied, "We have also heard of your accomplishments in the Realm Above, of how you protect it from the forces of evil. I am especially proud of you for what you do, and I know for certain that your princess is grateful for the same reason."

"But Father," Atemu blurted out, "I gave up my throne to be with her, I abandoned my destiny to become the next king!" Then he bowed his head low and with a sigh he continued, "I have no regrets whatsoever about what I have done. In fact, I never even wanted to be king to begin with. Still, I feel as though I've let you down, that I've disgraced you in this way, because you wanted me to become king more than anyone else."

"Ah, Atemu," said the King as he placed a webbed hand on his son's shoulder, "It's true that you're the Crown Prince, but you are my son first and foremost. You see, what you don't realize is that I wanted you to be happy and healthy, even more than I want you to be king. So the truth of the matter is, you didn't disappoint me at all." Atemu became even more surprised when his father smirked. "In fact, as fate would have it, you didn't fully abandon your destiny at all."

"Wha?" Atemu said, "Father? W-what are you talking about?"

"Patience, Atemu, and listen carefully." Akunumkanon replied gently, "The human girl who captured your heart, she is a princess, is she not?"

"Yes, she is." Atemu replied, blushing at the thought of his Lady.

"And when the time comes, what does a princess usually become?"

There was a slight, thoughtful pause, before Atemu said, "She becomes… a queen."

"That's right." Akunumkanon said with a smile, "And it is known for a fact that your beloved human princess loves you in return. Which leads to the most important question that I will ask you: do you love her enough to make her **your** queen?" Atemu gasped in amazement, and suddenly he felt as though his heart were singing to him. He placed a webbed hand to his heart, absorbing the sweet message that it was conveying. And he now understood.

"…Yes." Atemu said blushing, giving a sigh of bliss, "I love her enough… to make her my queen."

"You see, my son," Akunumkanon chuckled heartily, "Even though you will not become the next King of the Deep Dwellers, you are still destined to become a king nevertheless. Your love for the princess makes it all possible, after all. As I have said before though, I care more about your health and happiness." And the King let go of the Prince's shoulder. "That is why, Atemu, I am giving you my blessing."

"As will I." said the Queen, "You and the princess make such a wonderful couple." Atemu began to smile, his sense of shame gone completely.

"Really?" he said with joy, "Do you mean it?"

"Every word." Akunumkanon said. It was at that moment Atemu gave his father a hug, ready to cry tears of joy even if those tears couldn't be seen underwater. The King was more than happy to return that hug.

"Thank you! This means so much to me!" Atemu said. Soon father and son broke the hug, but the joy lingered between them.

"May you and the princess live the rest of your lives in happiness." Akunumkanon said. Atemu nodded, before he swam away from the throne room, his heart filled with happiness and a new anticipation of a budding plan. _How strange,_ he thought_, it seems like I actually wanted to become a king after all._ For now, though, there are other things to do… like catching up with some fellow travelers.

Note: All right peeps, it's time for me to write the next chapter! There's gonna be another romantic scene in our midst! Until next time!


	16. Chapter 16

Note: It took me days to get this chapter done, but I've managed to get it finished! I hope you enjoy it, especially all you Seto/Kisara fans out there!

Chapter 16: Tenderness in a Crystal Cavern

"We're almost there Seto!" Kisara said in excitement as she and the blue eyed knight swam through the glowing gardens. The whole time, Seto stared in amazement at what he saw. Everywhere he looked, he could see ocean-bred plants infused with colors nearly as bright as the light of day. Then he took notice of a cluster of strange gemstones lying on the sandy floor.

"Hey, Kisara, look over there!" Seto said as he swam down to investigate. Kisara also took notice and followed him. Once the two of them reached the stones, Kisara couldn't help but give a small gasp. Seto picked up one of the gemstones and held it up in front of him. As he did so, his eyes widened a bit in surprise. The 'gemstones' weren't really gemstones at all—they were fish scales! They were all spread out across this part of the sea floor, in colors of gold, red and black. In a few places were tattered pieces of what appear to be fins, bearing stripes of the same three colors patterned like a coral snake. "What is all of this?" he asked.

There was a few seconds of silence before Kisara made her reply in a hushed tone. "These are the scattered remains of Atemu's old form. Proof that he was once a merman." Seto looked up at her to see that she was… shaking, almost on the verge of pearly tears. "I still remember how he became a human. I was searching for him then, and when I found him, I saw the whole thing. He was in so much pain after he drank that potion… the waters turned red with blood as those scales quickly popped out of his body one by one, and the fins ripped away. I can still picture the silent scream he let out as his tail split in two and became legs, and I became even more terrified for him when his gills disappeared. When he became fully human, the currents lifted him to the Realm Above just when he started drowning. The night all of this happened… it still haunts me, Seto! For a moment I thought I would never see him again!" By then, Kisara was shedding tears of liquid pearls, making Seto's heart ache for her. And in a strange way, he found himself gaining an even deeper respect for his rival.

"Oh, by Bahamut's blue eyes! I didn't know… To think your brother was willing to suffer so much pain… in order to become a human and live in the surface… with his one true love." Seto said, "And you had to watch as he suffered. Oh God, I'm awfully sorry. Here, come on. It's okay." Careful not to sting himself, he gently wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace, allowing her to cry on his shoulder. Kisara felt the warmth of that soothing embrace, and slowly she grew calm as her beloved moved on to stroking her with webbed hands. The azure-hued white scales of the mermaid's whole body seem to ripple gently under Seto's touch, and oh how he loved that very sensation! He drew her closer to him, determined to ease away the fear and sorrow brought about by this horrific memory. After a moment, Kisara became calm enough to look up and Seto wiped away her pearly tears.

"Thank you." Kisara sniffled.

"The pleasure is mine, Princess." Seto replied softly, "This is the first time I have ever given comfort to anyone other than Mokuba. To be honest, it actually feels good." Upon hearing those words, Kisara smiled. But soon the peaceful silence was broken by loud roar. This startled the two, and Seto turned around in a defensive stance. Right in front of them was a strangely familiar creature, and when it got closer, Seto gasped in surprise. It was a Blue Eyes White Dragon, and there's only one such dragon he knows that has one blue eye and one Mother of Pearl eye.

"Azure!" he shouted, "Hey girl! How'd you manage to get all the way down here?" He swam toward his favorite Blue Eyes, and lovingly petted her. "I guess you don't want to be left out, huh?" Some more roars followed, and Kisara pointed out toward the source.

"Seto, look!" And look he did, and he saw three more Blue Eyes White Dragons swimming toward him.

"Azrael, Djibril, Ibris! I can't believe you came!" Seto swam up joyfully, and Djibril didn't hesitate to lick him like a hyperactive puppy. "Ha ha ha, hey! Djibril, stop! That tickles!" Luckily Ibris growled at her mate to calm his nerves, saving her master and friend from further tickle torture. "I'm glad there are people in the Order that are taking care of your eggs Ibris, I don't want you or Djibril to worry too much about your babies."

"Awesome!" Kisara squealed, "All four dragons decided to come and see us! Seto, how about we ride Azure to that place I wanna show you!"

"Sure Kisara," Seto replied, "I need a little rest from all that swimming anyway." The blue eyed knight and his white mermaid swam over to Azure and floated onto her back. Seto smirked playfully. "All right milady, show us where to go!"

"Gladly!" Kisara giggled. And with that, the dragons were off. Surprisingly, the four dragons proved to be very good swimmers, showing an almost serpentine grace as they sped through the water. Kisara laughed in excitement, feeling the rush of water as Azure swam onward. She can already imagine what it would be like to ride a Blue Eyes White Dragon above the water, flying high up in the clear blue sky! This made Seto smile, and he was just as thrilled about the experience. It's not everyday that you get to ride a dragon under the sea! "There it is!" Kisara said suddenly, pointing out in front of her, "Over here! C,mon let's go inside! You're gonna love what you'll see in there!" Seto looked to where his princess was pointing. There was an entrance to a cave, and he could see a tiny spark of light from deep in the surrounding darkness of the cave. This light brought about his curiosity. What could be inside? _Well, I guess we're about to find out_, he thought. Under Seto's urging, Azure swam ahead, the three other Blue Eyes not far behind them. The blue eyed knight couldn't help but let out a silent gasp as he realized that the cave entrance was large enough for all of his dragons to fit in. He looked back at the mermaid princess, only to see her give a knowing smile, and he found himself blushing like never before. As the riders and dragons swam deeper into the cave, the light seemed to become larger and little bit brighter, and there were several beams of many different colors. Finally, they made it to the heart of the cave, and Seto gasped in awe as his eyes widened in wonder. All around him the walls were shining with a soft glow, and upon closer inspection, he could see that the walls were lined with beautiful, naturally formed crystals, and each crystal wall is a different color of the rainbow, gracefully blending into each other. Azure gently floated down to the sandy floor of the large cave to rest herself, allowing Seto and Kisara to swim to the center. "Heeheehee, what do you think?" Kisara asked cutely.

"Kisara!" Seto replied in a hushed tone, "It's beautiful! D-did all of those crystals really grow like this?!"

"Uh-huh." Kisara said blushing, "It's my favorite place. I'm glad you like it too." It didn't take long before Seto noticed a small collection of human statues standing in neat arrangements. The crystals' glow reflected upon the surface of these statues, adding to their beauty. In a sense, it all seemed so magical! "Do you like those statues, Seto?" Kisara said, "My people often find them in the ruins of ships. Thankfully, most of them are intact."

"Impressive." Seto commented, "I never thought you'd be quite a collector."

"You think?" Kisara giggled, "I have much more of these in my garden. I've always loved the human body, so it's no surprise that the most realistic depictions of humans are my favorites."

"I can see why." Seto mused, smirking, "They must have given you a glimpse of the people who live in the surface." The two of them floated to the sand to take a seat near a wall covered with gorgeous blue crystals. They stared for a moment, mesmerized by the surroundings.

"Do you know what else I like about this place?" Kisara asked.

"No." Seto replied, "What else do you like about it?"

The white mermaid closed her own blue eyes and hugged herself, as if ready to lose herself in the moment. "This is one of my favorite places to sing."

"Really." Seto said, and he leaned closer to his beloved princess, suddenly feeling a bit bashful. "Kisara? C-can you… sing for me?" Kisara opened her eyes to face her knight, and she blushed. A smile spread across her face, then once again she went into her ecstasy, and she sang a few verses of the song Seto has come to love. The blue eyed knight listened to her intently, for her voice had become even more beautiful than ever before.

"_**I am a young maiden, my heart feels so sad**_

_**For once I was carefree and in love with this lad.**_

_**He courted me sweetly by night and by day,**_

_**But soon he will leave me and sail far away.**_

"_**Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and could sing**_

_**I'd follow the vessel where my true love sails in**_

_**And in the top rigging, I would build there my nest**_

_**And flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest.**_

"_**He'll sail o'er the ocean, his fortune to seek.**_

_**I'll miss his caresses and his kiss on my cheek.**_

_**Should he return, would he tell me that his love is still warm?**_

_**Or would he turn slightly with ever great scorn?**_

"_**Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and could sing**_

_**I'd follow the vessel where my true love sails in**_

_**And in the top rigging, I would build there my nest**_

_**And flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest.**_

"_**Although I am no scholar, I can write with a pen,**_

_**So a secret love letter to my true love I'd send.**_

_**I'll speak of my sorrow, my grief and my pain**_

_**If he should leave me in yon watery glen.**_

"_**Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and could sing**_

_**I'd follow the vessel where my true love sails in**_

_**And in the top rigging, I would build there my nest**_

_**And flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest.**_

"_**My parents might chide me; they might not agree**_

_**That me and my true love together should ever be.**_

_**So let them despise me, let them do as they will**_

_**While there's breath in my body, he's the one I love still.**_"

Kisara turns her scaly face upward, her voice echoing in the cave. To Seto, it was as though his mermaid had become her song, that the song and singer have, for a moment, melded into one at the very height of her ecstasy. Kisara let out her chorus once more.

"_**Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and could sing**_

_**I'd follow the vessel where my true love sails in**_

_**And in the top rigging, I would build there my nest**_

_**And flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest.**_"

She let out a sigh, her song finished. _So beautiful…_ Seto thought in enchantment, _Oh, how I love her so much! There must be a way I can tell her._

"This is one of my favorite songs." Kisara explained. "It's of human origin, filled with such beauty and emotion. I never get tired of singing it." Azure gave a contented roar, as did the other three dragons.

"I think my dragons all agree with you." Seto said with a smirk, making the white mermaid laugh.

"Oh by the way," she said, "Which of the other dragons do you ride when you're not riding Azure?"

"Well, if there's any other Blue Eyes I ride almost as often as Azure, it's Azrael." Seto replied, "He often takes Azure's place whenever she's sick or injured." Azrael gave something similar to a toothy grin in response, showing off his missing tooth. Kisara smiled, and her webbed hand took hold of a certain silver dragon brooch that she kept well hidden. She blushed. _This is your chance Kisara_, she thought to herself, _Go and tell him you love him!_ She and Seto leaned closer to each other, both of their hearts beating faster. Soon their lips were just a few inches away, and they stared at each other's deep blue eyes.

"Seto? I…" Kisara whispered.

"Kisara? I…" Seto began. The faces of the two came closer and closer, their lips only inches away. In both of their heads, the same words rang: _C'mon, say it, say it, say it…!_

"KAIBA! KISARA! We've been looking for ya guys!" A familiar voice blurted out, jerking said couple out of their trance. Seto growled just when Joey swam in. _Stupid Mutt_, he thought, _just like him to ruin the moment…_ The four dragons roared in frustration, their peace and quiet disturbed. Yet in spite of that, Joey proceeded to enter the heart of the cave. "Whoa! How'd your dragons manage to get down here? Oh well, that doesn't matter." The sandy blonde Dragon Knight began to look around the cavern just as Atemu made his entrance.

"Hello there!" Atemu said, his smile directed toward his baby sister, "I see you've shown him your favorite place, huh?"

"Yep." Kisara said cheerfully, in spite of the frustration of being interrupted. "He really enjoys it." Seto watched the white mermaid as she continued her conversation with her brother. _She's such a wonderful person_, he thought to himself, _her gentle nature is able to melt the cold away from my heart. And this world she lives in? It's much more beautiful than I ever imagined it to be._ He then looks at himself. _Compared to all that, being a human feels so… hollow._ A sigh left his lips. That's when it hit him. He wanted to stay under the ocean, to be with Kisara always. He wanted to be a Deep Dweller merman. And if he was a merman, he would also have a better chance at atonement, to once again become pure in the eyes of Bahamut. He smiled to himself_. Why didn't I think of this before?_

"Seto?" Atemu said, snapping the blue eyed knight out of his reverie. "Is there something on your mind?"

Recovering from his initial surprise, Seto said, "Well, uh… actually yes. Do you mind if we go outside so I can tell you?"

"Uhhh, sure." Atemu said. "Kisara, Seto and I are going out for a while."

"Okay, I'll see you later!" Kisara said. And so Seto followed the Prince out of the cave, but not without looking at Kisara, and making each other blush. Once outside the underwater cave, Atemu turned toward his rival.

"All right Seto, what do you want to tell me?" Atemu asked.

"Well, the whims of revelation have just struck me on the head right now." Seto stated, "Wanna know what it said to me?"

"What did it say?" Atemu asked in curiosity.

Seto just gave a small smile before he said, "I want to be what you used to be, Atemu. I want to be a Deep Dweller." Atemu was certainly taken aback by his rival's reply, but Seto continued his explanation. "After seeing the ocean world with my own eyes, I want to live in this world, just as you are now living in the surface. Perhaps, as a merman, I can find redemption by protecting the sea from evil forces." There was a moment of silence.

"I sense there's another reason behind your wish." Atemu finally said, "It's Kisara, isn't it?" Seto gave no reply, but then again, he had no need to. It was written all over his face. "In that case, why not consult a sea mage? They can change you into a Deep Dweller." Atemu suggested.

"You know, that sounds like a good idea." Seto said, "But there's a problem. Mahaado and Mana are the only two sea mages I know, but I can't ask for their help."

"**Mahaado, Mana, why aren't you helping Seto?" Kisara asked.**

"**Well, to be honest Your Highness, even though he is slowly gaining my trust, I still don't fully trust him enough to use my magic on him." answered Mahaado.**

"**Same with me." Mana piped up.**

"I see what you mean Seto." Atemu said in thought, "Due to their general mistrust toward you, Mahaado and Mana can't help you." Then to Seto's surprise, Atemu gave a smirk and calmly said, "But luckily for you, I may know someone who **can**!"

Note: Yep, it's my favorite traditional Celtic song, "Blackbird", but I did some rewording to suit the story. To those of you who know the music to "Blackbird", try singing it in an F minor. It's really cool, especially if you're a soprano. Anyway, it's on to the next chapter for me! Until next time!


	17. Chapter 17

Note: Oh yeah, this chapter is done! To Sparxyu, you guessed correctly! Pegasus makes his return in this chapter! In any case, enjoy!

Chapter 17: The Sea Mage's Task

It took a while, but finally Atemu reached his intended destination, with Seto not so far behind. "**This** is **it**?!" Seto said in frustration. It was a pretty long swim by his terms after all, and a house carved out of a cave decorated with multicolored lanterns was the one thing he least expected.

"Yep." Atemu said, "This is the second time I've ever come here, and I'm still amazed at how I managed to remember the directions!"

"Yeah, whatever." Seto grunted, "Let's go in and meet him already!"

As the two of them slowly swam through the entrance, Atemu said, "I'll say this once Seto. There's only one piece of advice that I need to give you: Be honest. He knows more than you think."

"I'll keep that in mind." replied Seto. They had just reached the interior of the curiosity shop when the polyp cluster came into view. The blue eyed knight grimaced at the sight of those slimy rippling things. "Oh, GROSS! What the hell **are** those things?!"

"The so-called 'pride of the shop'." Atemu replied with equal disgust, "Although, to be honest, I had to agree with you on this one. Just looking at those polyps make me sick to my stomach!" Before either of them could react further, however, one polyp shot out and grabbed hold of Seto's wrist!

"HEY! WHAT THE--" Seto shouted in an anger-tinged shock, "LET ME GO!!" But obviously the polyp paid not attention to its human captive and started pulling him down. Another one, in fact, came to the aid of the first by grabbing him by the foot! Immediately Atemu took hold of one of the polyps to keep it from pulling it down. A third polyp had just grabbed hold of the Prince's foot, when along comes the one eel merman that the duo was looking for.

"Atemu Boy! It's you!" Pegasus said cheerfully, "Long time no see!" The Sea Mage turned his head toward the blue eyed knight and smirked in an insane sort of playfulness. "Oh! And you must be Kaiba Boy! A pleasure to meet you, considering that I've been expecting you."

"Spare me the introductions, Pegasus! Prince Atemu already told me about you! But in any case, get those slimy thing off of me RIGHT NOW!" Seto blurted out, his anger rising.

"Oh my, looks like my pets have gotten a hold of you and Atemu Boy." mused Pegasus, "Don't you worry my friends, Sea Mage Pegasus is here to save the day!" Immediately, Pegasus grabbed a stick, then he charged the stick with his electricity magic, and in an instant he flicked that stick toward the polyps sending small sparks right after them. Each spark struck its target, and the polyps jolted in shock, letting go of their captives immediately and shrinking down in what appears to be fear. "Hey there! Naughty, naughty, naughty!" Pegasus scolded his pets, "You know you're supposed to capture thieves and vagabonds, not customers and guests!" Atemu and Seto, unharmed by the Sea Mage's electrical attack on the polyps, quickly swam as fast as they could inside the shop.

"Thanks for the help." Atemu said gratefully.

"Anything for a good friend, Atemu Boy!" Pegasus cheerfully replied, giving the Prince a friendly hug. "It's such a joy to see you again!"

"Same with you!" Atemu said with a smile.

"Oh by the way," Pegasus said, once again giving a playful smirk, "I know about a certain little surprise you plan on giving to your lovely Tea Girl. I'm delighted you even found the courage and inspiration to make that decision!" Atemu simply smiled, blushing at the thought of his one true love.

"What surprise?" Seto asked in confusion, "What decision?"

"Heh heh heh, I don't want to ruin Atemu Boy's surprise Kaiba Boy," Pegasus said, "so I guess I won't tell you. But enough about that." He swam near his caldron, calmly taking his seat. "There is a reason you came with my friend to see me and I bet it's no coincidence. In fact, a lovely little mermaid has everything to do with this meeting and I reckon you know who that is!" Seto's eyes widened in surprise and found himself blushing.

"Princess Kisara…" he said in a hushed tone. At that moment the transparent blue disk appeared, glowing softly above the caldron.

"You want to be with her, to leave the Realm Above behind you and live among us Deep Dwellers." Pegasus said knowingly as a nude male figure appeared above the disk, a figure Seto recognized as a splitting image of himself. The figure suddenly lifted its head as though in a trance, and it started glowing. "That's right Kaiba Boy! You want to become… one of us!" The glow faded, revealing the figure of Seto in the form of a handsome Deep Dweller merman. Its whole body was covered with azure scales with a dark gold at the tips of each scale, and both hands had delicate webbings in between the fingers. There were fins fanning out from the figure's back, spreading out like a pair of aquatic wings, and there were fins on the forearms and below the navel. All of them were striped with azure and dark gold. The brown hair had become a neat cluster of head fins, retaining its shape and becoming a brown-gold color. What amazed Seto most was that there was a gorgeous marlin tail where the figure's legs used to be. Yes, that figure was the picture of an anthropomorphic marlin. And a handsome one I might add.

"Damn, I look **good**!" Seto said in admiration of the transformed figure. But just as quickly, the figure disappeared before his very eyes. Pegasus chuckled, grabbing Seto's attention.

"I'd be more than happy to help you, Kaiba Boy," the Sea Mage said with a sly grin, "but I won't do business with you just yet."

"WHAT?!" Seto blurted out, "What do you mean 'you won't do business with me?!' I want that magic more than anything, you snake!"

"Oh temper, temper!" Pegasus said, "I guess you didn't hear the 'yet' part of my statement. I'll do business with you, but you must first take part in completing a rather difficult task of my requesting." He leaned back in a relaxed pose. "I so happen to be an avid collector of rare gems and hard-to-find treasures, and it is my policy for first-time customers to find such rare items and give them to me as a token of business partnership. The item in question is always different from one customer to another, but the reward for finding such a specific item is always the same. Once a first-time customer brings such an object, only then am I willing to sell my magic."

"But Pegasus," Atemu said, feeling confused over the whole thing, "I went through no such task; I didn't bring you **any** rare items, and yet you were more than willing to sell your magic to me in order to help me."

"Oh, on the contrary Atemu Boy," Pegasus said smirking at his friend, "you **did** go through with this task. And you succeeded too… you just didn't know it yet!"

"Huh?" Atemu questioned, "W-what are you talking about?"

"Look over on that shelf over there." Pegasus instructed, pointing toward said shelf. Atemu did look, as did Seto. Both were amazed to find all sorts of hard-to-find items arranged neatly in display. "You see it, do you not?" the Sea Mage said, "That mermaid sculpture carved out of jade?" Atemu looked, and there it was, the lovely jade statuette depicting a mermaid seated on a rock.

"That's strange." Atemu said, "It looks so… familiar."

"The day I got this was the most special day of my life." Pegasus mused, "Do you remember?" The Prince stared long and hard at that statuette, then his eyes grew wide.

"Of course!" Atemu gasped, "Now I remember!"

**A small tri-colored merboy was swimming as fast as he could toward a maroon colored eel man. "Pegasus!" he called out in excitement.**

"**Ah! Atemu Boy!" Pegasus said, ruffling the little prince's head fins, "It's such a delight to see you again! What brings you to this part of the sea?"**

"**Oh, nothing much." said the merboy Atemu, "Just a little something I wanna show you." He reached into his pouch, and when his webbed hands came out, they were clutching a beautiful mermaid statuette carved out of green imperial jade. "Surprise!" he said with a joyful laugh, "Happy Birthday Pegasus!" **

"**Atemu Boy!" Pegasus gasped in a surprised delight, and he carefully took the statuette into his own webbed hands. "Where did you get such a thing?"**

**"I was just swimming with Ishizu, Marik, and Kisara when I happened to come across that sculpture. I thought about you right away, so I decided to give it to you as a present. Do you like it?"**

"**Like it?" Pegasus said, "Why Atemu Boy, do you know how long I was looking for something like this? How could I ever thank you?!" He then gave the merboy a big hug, saying, "I'll treasure it with all my heart!"**

**Atemu laughed happily. "I'm so glad we're friends!"**

"I was only eight years old when I gave you that statuette." Atemu said, "It's not everyday you find something in the ocean that's made of green imperial jade."

"You see Atemu Boy?" Pegasus said, "You did find a rare gem just for little ol' me, all by the sheer whims of fate. You didn't know that I was a sea mage then, and you didn't know about the tasks either, but you did it all nevertheless, and that's what made that gift so special to me. It not only became a token of our business partnership, but it also became a true token of our friendship. That's why when you learned of my business I had no need to set a task for you, because you already completed it through your friendship." Atemu smiled.

"Ah, I understand now." he said, "And to be honest I'm more than relieved about the whole thing."

"All right, enough reminiscing already!" Seto said impatiently, "Tell me of **my** task Pegasus! I'll do anything to get the magic I need to become a merman!"

"Oh very well, have it your way." Pegasus said smugly. He swam over to another shelf nearby. On that shelf was a row of small stone oysters, each one holding a pearl of a different color. The blue eyed knight could tell from a glance that these pearls are undeniably rare due to those colors. The most common pearls are white in color, while pink was the second most common. But aside from those two, there were pearls in shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, just about every color of the rainbow. Of course these colors are not what you think of seeing when you think of pearls, and that's why these pearls are quite rare. "Now listen carefully Kaiba Boy, of all the rare gems I collect, pearls are one of my favorites. As you can see, there are many different colors that are hard to find. But there is one color that I still have yet to collect, for it is a rarity of rarities." Pegasus looked at Seto in the eye and grinned. "Lavender, the lightest shade of violet! That is the one color I want more than anything!" He chuckled, once again leaning back in relaxation. "Find a lavender pearl, Kaiba Boy, and bring it to me. We'll start discussing business only when you get that treasure!"

"All right, I accept your challenge!" Seto said, an expression of determination etched on his face, "I won't come back to your shop until I find it!" Pegasus gave a grin of satisfaction.

"Thank you for your cooperation Pegasus," Atemu said, "At least **I** will be coming back, if only to spend time with you."

"You are a generous friend as always." Pegasus said, "Tell your other human friends I said hello." Atemu gave a single nod.

"C'mon 'Your Highness' let's get out of here!" Seto said in annoyed impatience. "I'm itching to look for that rare pearl!"

As the two rival had just started leaving, Pegasus called out in an amused voice, "Don't rush, Kaiba Boy, take your time. My patience never wears thin."

Note: That's all for this chapter. Now to think up the next part. Until next time, Peeps!


	18. Chapter 18

Note: Yes! I got this chapter all finished! I certainly hope you like it, so enjoy!

Chapter 18: In Search of a Special Treasure

"Hey, Kisara! Watch this!" Joey said as he tried to do a rather tight somersault. The white mermaid couldn't help but laugh since the sandy blonde was almost like a circle, with his webbed feet above his head.

"You look silly!" she giggled, "Any tighter and you'd look like you were trapped in an oyster in that position!"

"Say what?!" Joey said with a glare. Kisara only giggled some more, and he sighed in exasperation. "Aw, what did I do to deserve this?" he muttered under his breath. With a contented sigh, Kisara took the silver dragon brooch from its hiding place and held it in her hand. Joey noticed immediately. "Huh? What's this? Well whatever it is, it sure looks pretty."

"It's a brooch I found with the other girls in that treasure hunt, before that Claw of Tiamat and his dinosaur horde crashed the party." Kisara explained, "I'm thinking of giving it to Seto, since he's very fond of dragons."

"You really love him, don't ya?" Joey said.

"Yes," Kisara said dreamily, "Yes I do."

"So why don't you tell him?" Joey asked.

"I would have told him if a certain dogfish didn't come along to spoil the moment." Kisara answered, sticking her tongue out a bit.

Joey jerked in initial shock, then yelled out almost angrily to the sea, "AW MAN, THAT MERMAID'S TAKING AFTER HER BOYFRIEND!"

"He really gets on your nerves, doesn't he?" Kisara said simply.

"You think?" Joey said with a glare, "I'll show him who's the mutt! I'LL CHASE HIM UP A TREE WITH A PACK OF WOLVES!!!"

"Oh really?" Kisara said with a rather cute smirk. Of course, Joey didn't hear her comment; he was too busy ranting about the blue eyed knight. So she went back to staring at her brooch, with that same blue eyed knight in mind. _Oh Seto,_ she thought, _you don't know how badly I want to confess my love for you._ She looked up for a moment to stare at the coral around her. _I must admit though, I feel a bit nervous. But you know what? I can get over it._

* * *

Meanwhile, Seto was getting a bit frustrated. He had the lavender pearl etched in his mind, the key to his fondest wish, but so far, he had no luck. Even with the help of his four Blue Eyes White Dragons, the rare pearl eluded him. Sure, they found a whole bunch of oysters, but most of them held a white pearl, and some of them held the occasional pink pearl, while a few held none at all. And right now, he only has an hour and five minutes remaining until the magic of the water lily wears off. Seto refused to give up, however.

Azure roared, gaining her friend's attention. "What is it Azure?" Seto asked as he swam toward his favorite dragon, "Did you find something?" Azure continued to dig the sand away from the object, nudging at it with her nose. The other three dragons swam after their master and friend just in time to see the object fully unearthed. It was an oyster. "Aha! Just what I was looking for!" Seto said, picking up the prized mollusk. "Now all we need to do is get it open." He was lucky he found a piece of flint shaped like a dagger, for it definitely came in handy when it comes to opening those tight shells. Carefully, he stuck the flint inside the oyster, then moved it across the only opening of the oyster's shell. Finally, the shells popped apart. "All right! That lavender pearl better be inside." He took the flint out and started to open the oyster shells. Azure, Azrael, Djibril and Ibris all stared in anticipation. Seto smirked, as he could see that there was indeed a pearl resting inside. Finally, the oyster was opened all the way, but the smirk quickly vanished when Seto saw the color. "What?!" Seto yelled, "ANOTHER **white** pearl?!" With a roar of frustration, he hurled the oyster backwards over his head, white pearl and all. "Damn you Pegasus!" He then floated downward until he was on his knees. "At this rate, I'll never become a Deep Dweller merman!" he murmured almost mournfully. Just then, Atemu swam up towards the blue eyed knight. He had been following the frantic treasure hunter the whole time.

"Still couldn't find it, huh?" Atemu said.

"Well isn't that obvious?" Seto grumbled, "Finding that lavender pearl is much harder than I thought. I mean, I know it's rare, but I didn't think it was **that** rare!"

"Pretty much like 'finding a needle in a haystack' as you humans would say." Atemu mused.

"That doesn't mean I would give up though." Seto said, "I want to become a merman, Atemu! I want to leave the surface behind and live in the sea with your baby sister, and that lavender pearl is my ticket to fulfilling that wish."

"What about Mokuba?" Atemu asked, "Are you willing to leave **him** behind?" For a moment, Seto's eyes widened a bit in surprise. Then his expression became thoughtful.

"Divine Dragon… I never thought about that." he said, "Oh, how in the world am I going to explain this to him? I want to leave the surface, but I don't want to make him feel like I've abandoned him by doing so!"

"I understand." Atemu replied, "Having siblings of my own, I know of this reluctance too well. In the end, however, I chose to follow my heart. Perhaps I can help you explain to Mokuba. I'm sure he'll understand, especially since he likes Kisara."

"But who's going to protect him when I'm gone?" Seto asked, "He's still a kid after all."

"You can still watch over him from the ocean," Atemu said, "like an aquatic guardian angel. Seto, please understand. Mokuba knows you love him, and he loves you too. I assure you, we'll help him understand if he doesn't already." Seto smiled at those words.

"Thanks. You can really be a big help." he said. As he floated off of the sea floor, he swam toward the Prince saying, "By the way, what exactly is the surprise you're planning on giving Princess Tea? Ever since Pegasus brought it up, it's been nagging at my head nonstop."

"Well, Pegasus wouldn't tell you, so neither would I." Atemu said, blushing suddenly.

"Oh C'mon!" Seto blurted out, losing his patience, "Fess up! Your cheeks are turning red as a beet at the very mention of the princess, so you must be thinking of **something** special! So what is it?!"

A rather uncomfortable silence lingered for a short while, before finally, Atemu asked, "Do you promise not to tell anyone else about this? I seriously want to surprise everyone."

"Huh? Of course I promise!" Seto replied in near exasperation. Atemu simply sighed to relieve his own nerves.

"All right then." he said, "Come here for a moment." The blue eyed knight did as he was told, and the four dragons strained to listen as Atemu whispered in their master's ear. Seto's eyes widened immediately.

"NO WAY!" Seto exclaimed, "You're going to propo—MMMMPH!" Atemu had quickly covered his rival's mouth before he could finish that sentence.

"Shhh! Keep quiet until **after** it's done!" Atemu said through gritted teeth in a low tone of voice. Once he uncovered a surprised Seto's mouth, Atemu blushed again, explaining, "My father and I talked, and his kind words inspired me to make this decision. He even gave me his blessing."

"That's great! So when do you plan to do this?" Seto asked.

"I don't know," Atemu replied, "Perhaps I'll do it during another special occasion."

"Hmm, that sounds like a good idea." Seto said smirking. Azure roared in agreement before swimming past the two of them. Suddenly, she stopped in the middle of her swim and started roaring in excitement. Azrael roared in response and swam toward the excited dragon. "Did you find another oyster Azure?" Seto called out and swam forward. Atemu quickly followed him, as did Djibril and Ibris. They all arrived to view the Blue Eyes' discovery, and Atemu gasped in wonder. It was no oyster, but a beautiful piece of coral, which had long since hardened into a crystal form. It was in the shade of a very light pink, much like a Rose Quartz crystal. "Hmph, no lavender pearl." Seto said in slight disappointment, "Still, it is rather beautiful."

"It's more than beautiful," Atemu said, swimming closer to the coral, "It's perfect!" Carefully, he took hold of a piece of the main coral and snapped it off. "This will be the base for the hairpin!"

"Hairpin?" Seto asked quizzically.

"I'll explain it later." Atemu said. Suddenly his breath began to hitch.

"Atemu, what's wrong?" Seto shouted in shock, before he too felt his breath hitch. His eyes widened in horror as he saw that the gills on the Prince's neck was slowly shrinking. Touching his own neck, he felt his own gills starting to become smaller as well.

"I guess this is the sign that the magic is wearing off!" Atemu choked out, "We have to get back to the Realm Above, and fast!" Immediately, he started to swim upward, quickly hiding the coral in the pouch he borrowed from Kisara.

"Already?!" Seto strained to say, "But I still haven't found the lavender pearl!"

"You can't continue the search now! You need to get back up, otherwise you'll start drowning!" Atemu said.

"No! I'm not-- going back up--- until I find it!" Seto said.

"SETO!" Atemu hollered. "You only have-- two minutes left! Let's go!"

"Make me!" Seto roared and immediately swam off before the four Blue Eyes White Dragons could get a chance to catch up with him.

"NO SETO!" Atemu shouted, "WAIT!" But before he could swim after him, the Prince started to choke again. A roar was heard from the distance and three of the Blue Eyes White Dragons swam upward in response, making Atemu look up in their direction. "Slifer!" Atemu shouted, "Good timing-- in your part!" Indeed, the red serpentine dragon swam to his friend's side and Atemu immediately grabbed hold. He looked back to see that Azure was hesitating to join her fellow dragons. "You're worried about Seto the most, right? You go ahead and find him, and hurry!" Azrael barked out as if to help enforce the Prince's command, and Azure did not hesitate any longer. She swam in the direction where she saw Seto disappear. Atemu and the other dragons, in the meantime, swam upward to the surface. They had made it halfway when he saw his Dolphin Folk friends swim toward him.

"Atemu!" Mahaado called out, "I see that it's just about time for you to return!"

"Yeah!" Mana said, "I guess this must be why you're rushing huh? Good thing Slifer came to pick you up!" Just then, Kisara and a nearly panicking Joey swam up.

"Atemu!" Joey shouted, "The air—I mean the water—I mean—AH, WHATEVER! It's getting thin on me!"

"I know!" Atemu said, holding out a hand to show that the webbing was slowly detaching from between his fingers as well as his toes. "The magic is wearing off on me too!"

"Ahoy Mates!" a familiar gruff voice called out from above them. It turned out to be Great White, and Red Archery Girl Ruby is swimming with him. "You're coming up at just the right time!"

"That's right!" Ruby hollered, "Mako and his Fortress Whale are right above you, and he's even brought passengers!"

"Mako?" Joey said in surprise, then started swimming up frantically. "Well-- what are we waiting for?! Let's hurry-- and get back up!"

"Wait!" Kisara said, "Big Brother, why are Seto's dragons with you? Come to think of it, where's Azure, and Seto?"

"Seto's still down there!" Atemu shouted, "I tried-- to get him to come up, but-- he just swam off! Even-- as I speak, Azure is-- looking for him and-- time's running out!" Kisara gasped in shock.

"I'm going to go get him!" she said, "Don't worry about me Atemu! I'll come back with Seto." And in a flash, she swam off.

"Aren't you gonna-- go after her?" Joey said.

"Not this time." Atemu said, "I have a feeling-- she'll take care of herself this time. Right now-- let's hurry-- and get back up!" And with that the group swam upward.

* * *

Seto had just finished digging in the sand, and there was still no sign of an oyster holding a lavender pearl. The gills were getting smaller and smaller, the webbings were detaching painlessly from between his fingers and toes, and everything around him was starting to get muffled and blurry. And if that wasn't bad enough, he was beginning to feel a bit of the deep water's pressure. He lifted a head up, nearly hyperventilating. _Prince Atemu was right._ Seto thought, _My treasure hunting would have to continue at another time. I gotta get back up, and fast!_ And soon he began to swim upward as fast as he could. _I'm so deep in the ocean and I only have a minute left! Damn! I should have listened to you, Atemu!_

* * *

Back in the Realm Above, just above the water, Mako was in the tower on top of his Fortress Whale, along with Princess Tea, Serenity, Tristan, Mai, Duke, and of course, Mokuba. Happy Lover was looking ahead of the group with Kuriboh riding on top of him.

"What's taking them so long?" Tristan asked, almost becoming annoyed, "Their time's almost up and they haven't surfaced yet."

"Be patient Tristan." Tea said, "They'll all be coming back up any minute now." Funny how she would say those words at the right timing. Just as Kuriboh and Happy Lover had started staring deeper into the surface of the ocean, the dragons burst through the water. The two little monsters screeched in terror at the sudden arrival and Happy Lover zoomed back to the princess in record speed. He was so fast, in fact, that Kuriboh wound up falling off his friend, and as a result, he fell into the water with a small splash.

"Ahoy there, my Lady!" Atemu called out from Slifer's back, waving to his princess. By then most of the webbing between his fingers and toes had fallen off.

"Atemu!" Tea joyfully called out just as Joey and the others had broken through the surface.

"Atemu! Joey! You've come back!" Serenity exclaimed in delight.

"Hey! What's up?" Joey greeted, "Did you miss us?"

"Joey, how could you?" Mai said in minor annoyance, "You went traveling underwater and you didn't even take me with you?!"

"M-M-Mai! Don't get mad at me!" Joey said frantically, "I'll take you with me next time!" This made Mai chuckle in amusement.

"Hey!" Mokuba said suddenly, "Where's Seto and Azure? How come they're not with you?"

"Your brother is still down there Mokuba." Atemu explained, his expression turning serious. "And he's putting his own life in danger!" Mokuba gasped in shock, as did the others in the fortress. "Even as I speak, Kisara is trying to find him before he starts drowning!" Atemu continued, "I only hope she makes it to him in time…"

* * *

Underwater, Seto was beginning to lose his strength. The webbings were detaching faster than ever, and worse, the gills were getting smaller yet, making it more difficult to breathe. But he kept on swimming, determined to reach the surface. _C'mon magic, don't fade on me yet!_ he thought to himself.

At the same time, Kisara was swimming in top speed, searching desperately for her blue eyed knight. She heard a roar close to her, and when she looked to her right, she was surprised to find Azure swimming close to her direction. "Azure! I've found you! Are you looking for Seto too?" Azure gave a small glance and roared in acknowledgement, but once she looked ahead again, she let out another roar, one mixed with shock and horror. Kisara looked in the dragon's direction and gasped in shock. "Wha—SETO!" For indeed, in the distance, they could see Seto swimming upwards. And it looks like he was struggling. _There's no way I'm giving up now! I'm halfway there!_ he thought. By now, his finger and toes were no longer webbed, and his underwater vision and hearing has returned to the blurs and the muffled sounds. _C'mon,_ he thought as he swam upward, _C'MON!_ He had made it halfway to the surface indeed when suddenly, to his dismay, the gills disappeared completely. His time was up; the magic has worn off. _NO!_ Seto thought as he soon found himself choking in the water. Desperately he held what little breath he had left, and continued his attempt to swim upward. But the surface was still beyond his reach, and who knows how long he can last this way? "SETO!" hollered a melodious voice from almost below him. He turned to the side… just in time to see Kisara swimming right toward him, with Azure not far behind! "Seto, I'm coming!" Kisara shouted, and she quickly grabbed hold of Seto from behind, keeping her fins from stinging him. "Now hold on! Don't let go!" Seto quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, just as Azure swam up in assistance. The white mermaid grabbed hold of the Blue Eyes' outstretched wing, and she shouted, "Take us back up, and please hurry!" Azure didn't have to hear it twice, and she swam upward, full speed ahead. Upon approaching the watery wall that revealed the nighttime sky above, Kisara boost herself up and swam quickly the rest of the way, with Seto still in her arms, looking above him. Once the two of them broke the surface, Seto wasted no time gasping in as much air as possible. Azure came up soon after.

After coughing out the remaining water, Seto looked upon his white mermaid. "Kisara…you… you saved me!" he managed to gasp out, "Thank you."

"Seto," Kisara said in a serious tone, "You really scared me down there! In fact, you scared everyone!" Then to Seto's relief, she smiled at him. "I'm glad you're okay though."

"Me too." Seto sighed, "I guess from now on I need to set a time for my lavender pearl treasure hunt."

"Lavender pearl?" Kisara said, "So that's why you wanted to stay down there! Why would you want to risk your life to find a rare pearl?!"

"Pegasus wanted it!" Seto said, surprising Kisara even more, "I had to find it… so I can become a Deep Dweller… like you." This made Kisara blush furiously. He wants to become a creature of the sea? Why? Has he really grown **that** fond of her home? Before she could ponder this any further, she and Seto heard voices calling to them.

"Seto!" Mokuba shouted joyfully from the foot of the tower resting on the Fortress Whale. "Seto, you're all right!"

"Ahoy Dragon Knight!" Mako called from the top of his fortress, "It's good to see that you made it just fine!"

"Thank the mermaid princess for my return Mako." Seto stated, making Kisara smile.

Atemu nodded. "Shall we head home, everyone?" Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I'm beat." Joey said with a yawn, "Since Mako's got some guest rooms, I'm gonna get some shuteye until we get back."

"Sure, just don't get too comfy, okay? I mean, **trust me**! When we reach land, you **don't** wanna be left behind." Duke said bluntly. With a smirk at that conversation, Seto climbed up on to his favorite dragon, and soon the whole group traveled back to land for some well-deserved rest.

Note: Well, now to set up the next chapter and it's going to be special, especially for all you Atemu/Tea fans! You're all in for a treat! Until next time!


	19. Chapter 19

Note: After much brainstorming, I finally finished this chapter! There's a special celebration in Atemu's honor, but he's got a surprise of his own. For all you Atemu/Anzu fans, this a special New Year's treat just for you!

Chapter 19: The Gift of Song

A single month had passed since that venture into the sea. It was the beginning of summer, and the Dragon Knights were taking part in an impromptu, and unofficial, dragon race. Atemu, dressed in his usual outfit, sped by the other racers upon Slifer, inching toward Seto and Azure in the final lap. Soon the two racers were approaching the finish line. The blue eyed knight in blue dragonscale armor smirked, for he was in the lead. "Now Slifer!" Atemu shouted, and the serpentine dragon unleashed his own burst of speed and caught up with his opponent just as they both crossed the finish line. Atemu and Slifer won by a nose, and Seto groaned.

"I lost… again." Seto muttered. Then he let out a sigh, his smirk returning. "Oh well, there's always next time, right Azure?" Azure let out a small roar in agreement. All the racers soon made landing with their dragons, and Atemu was the first to dismount.

"Seto, you didn't do so bad yourself." he said as his rival got off of Azure, "For a moment, I thought I wouldn't get past you this time."

"Guess that gives us both a reason to practice even harder." Seto mused. Just then, Mokuba sped into the scene.

"Hey Seto!" Mokuba greeted.

"Hi squirt, what's up?" Seto said.

"I just wanted to see you, that's all." Mokuba replied with a grin, "By the way, did you find that lavender pearl yet?"

"No, not yet." Seto said, his expression showing some disappointment. A month ago, with Atemu's help, Seto managed to have that talk to his little brother about his wish, and the task that he must complete in order to have that wish fulfilled. He was a little upset about his big brother leaving him, but overall Mokuba was very happy that Seto finally got the guts to realize his love for Kisara and wanted to be by her side. The mischievous little boy encouraged him to continue his search for the pearl, often checking on his progress whenever he had the chance. Of course, Mokuba was a bit annoyed by one simple fact: Seto and Kisara had spent the whole month together and they **still** haven't confessed their love yet! They haven't even kissed yet either, in spite of all that pestering in his part. Just thinking about all those comments made Seto blush in embarrassment.

"Still no sign of it, huh?" Mokuba said, "Hahahaha, don't worry about it. It'll show up soon. Then you can finally give your girlfriend a kiss!" Seto's face became a steamy deep pink upon hearing this.

"Uh, thanks for the encouragement." Seto muttered.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Mokuba said, growing excited, "Atemu! I heard from Mahaado that tomorrow is a special day for you!"

"That's right!" Karim said, stepping over to the group. "The Dark Magician and his apprentice told me the same thing Atemu. That special day happens to be your sixteenth birthday, is it not?"

"Why yes, of course!" Atemu gasped with growing excitement. Of course, what makes that birthday even more special is that it is his first birthday as a human. In a way, it puts even his fifteenth birthday to shame.

"What plans do you have in mind for tomorrow?" Karim asked.

"Well," Atemu said in thoughtfulness, "Nothing much actually. I'm just going to pick up a little something from the Marketplace, that's all." Seto smirked, knowing exactly what that 'little something' is. "Why do you ask?" Atemu questioned in curiosity.

"Oh, I was just curious." Karim said. Behind the Celtic Guardian, a certain group of friends were winking to each other, which the Prince did not notice.

* * *

Atemu walked around the Marketplace, enjoying the hustle and bustle. The mood was especially festive, and why wouldn't it be? The Dragon Knight of Exalted Action is turning sixteen today, and the people of Aria wanted to take part in the celebration. The morning was quiet for him, but the party soon began in at noon, making his birthday in the Realm Above a very pleasant experience. After a whole afternoon of games and performances, Atemu stopped by the artisan's to pick up the item that is the key to his life-changing surprise. That item was tucked within a small pouch hanging on his belt, and he carefully clutched his treasure, smiling with thoughts of his beloved. Right at this moment, Joey and Tristan came forward. 

"Atemu!" Joey called out. Atemu looked up and smiled.

"Joey! Tristan! I'm so happy to see you here in the Marketplace!" Atemu greeted, and stopped when he noticed a sly smirk in his friends' faces.

"Before you say anything else, we've got a surprise for you." Tristan said, taking up a strip of white linen. He then moved on to wrap it over the Prince's eyes.

"Now whatever you do, don't peek, okay?" Joey said, taking hold of one hand while Tristan took the other.

"Huh?" the blindfolded Atemu said in confusion, "Where are we going?"

"We're not telling you just yet." Joey replied. "But you're gonna love what you're about to see." Atemu simply nodded and he let his friends guide him, if rather slowly.

* * *

Soon the three of them were getting closer to their intended destination. Carefully, Joey and Tristan guided their friend to a familiar place. The moment he stepped on the sands, Atemu let out a small gasp of surprise. "There's something soft under me; I can feel it through my boots! And I can taste salt in the air! Are we… by the ocean?" 

"Check it out, man!" Joey said, and as soon as they stopped, he took off the blindfold. Atemu opened his eyes and they widened with amazement!

"**SURPRISE!!! Happy birthday Atemu!**"

Atemu could not believe his eyes. All around him, on the beach and in the ocean, he saw all of his dearest friends, human or otherwise. Among them was his beloved Princess Tea, whose smile seemed to outshine the sunset painting the sea. Duke winked at the Prince, and Serenity was cheering loudly. Mako gave his usual carefree grin, while Ruby waved at him and Great White whistled vigorously with the joy of it all. Even Seto was there, standing with a smirk by the side of his cheerful little brother. Mai, Mahaado and Mana were all clapping for him, and they were not the only ones clapping. In the ocean, Atemu could see Solomon, Marik, Ishizu, and of course Kisara, who waved to him happily. Even Kuriboh, Happy Lover, Thunder Kid, and Scorch were bouncing with joy. Joey and Tristan smiled at their friend. "So what do you think Atemu?" Tristan said, "Did you like our little surprise?"

Atemu's eyes misted with tears of joy. "I don't believe it!" he gasped, "It's… it's wonderful!" Peering into the sea once again, imagine his astonishment at who was with his family. "Mother? Father?" Indeed, there were his parents, King Akunumkanon and his queen, in all their glory. They both smiled at him, and his joy knew no boundaries. Immediately, he ran into the shallow water and into his proud father's loving embrace. "Mother! Father!" Atemu said, filled with overwhelming happiness, "You're here! **You're **_**here**_!"

The Deep Dweller King laughed heartily, saying, "Congratulations my son! To think that today is your first birthday as a human!" As soon as the two of them broke their embrace, Akunumkanon then said, "This is indeed a cause for great celebration! So your mother and I have decided to bestow upon you a very special gift." The queen swam forward, and Atemu gasped in awe. In her arms she clutches a beautiful, brand new lute, made of clear blue-green crystal. It bore the shapes of leaping dolphins and splashing water at the base, and its strings were made of platinum.

"This lute is crafted with careful, loving hands, in honor of the music you bring into our lives." she said, "Take it, and may your gift of song touch the lives of all you love."

"Thank you… thank you so much!" Atemu managed to say as he took the lute from his mother's webbed hands, "I'll treasure it… with all my heart." Wiping the tears away, he returned to the shore. Nearly everyone gasped in wonder once they laid eyes on the precious instrument, and the Prince smiled with pride.

"Wow! I didn't know you can play something like this!" Serenity said.

"I wonder…" Duke mused, "Atemu, does it sound as good as it looks?"

"Well let's find out." Atemu said, and he took a seat on a nearby rock. "Kisara, would you like to treat our friends to a song?"

Kisara became very enthusiastic the moment she heard this. "Really?! I would love to!" The sound of clapping surrounded her as she swam to where her audience could hear her more clearly. Seto stared in anticipation, looking forward to her singing yet again.

"I'm so excited!" Tea squealed in delight, "Kisara gets to sing for all of us!"

Kisara seated herself on her favorite rock, and once the makeshift audience was silent, she nodded to her brother to begin. Skillfully, Atemu plucked the strings of his new lute, and the soft silvery notes filled the air. Kisara's own golden voice joined them as soon as the introductory music cued her to her song.

"_**The boy made his way home one day the same way by the shore**_

_**The sky and sea and trees all looked just as they had before**_

_**But now there was something new on the rocks down by the sea**_

_**A girl sat there with seaweed hair, and a tail where her legs should be.**_

"_**The boy spoke to the mermaid, for he did not understand**_

_**Why when she had all the sea she'd sit and stare at land.**_

_**He told how he had often wished that he might travel down**_

_**And see the wonders of the sea, more lovely than on ground…**_

"_**He spoke of prancing seahorses that, finding fast deep currents, ride**_

_**Where sea-ferns sway in silent dance to the music of the tide**_

_**And dolphins leap up and splash in joyous revelry**_

_**And many colored fish swim 'round in a living tapestry.**_"

Seto was astonished as he heard the lyrics. His mermaid's song was based on his own first-time exploration under the sea. He listened even more intently as Kisara continued her song.

"_**The mermaid said she'd seen these things, she saw them every day**_

_**And why the boy thought them so rare, she couldn't really say**_

_**Then she began to speak of land, her eyes were all aglow**_

_**With all the beauty that was there, that wasn't down below…**_

"_**She spoke of birds like precious jewels aglitter above in satin blue**_

_**And windblown trees of glorious hue that, branches waving, beckon you**_

_**And how the sun paints the clouds at sunset and at dawn**_

_**And snow-covered branches that fashion lace, when all the leaves are gone.**_

"_**The mermaid took a pebble up, and held it in her hand**_

_**And dived into the cool deep blue, and swam away from land**_

_**But she stopped to join the dance of ferns just on a whim**_

_**The boy skipped home with a lighter step, through trees that beckoned him.**_"

The last strains of the lute's music faded with her song, and there was a wild applause all around. "That was incredible!" Mai said, "She's got a very beautiful voice indeed!"

"Hey, if you think she's good, wait until to hear Atemu!" Marik shouted.

Mako, Tristan, and Duke looked at each other with widening eyes, before they looked at Atemu in surprise shouting, "He can _**sing**_?!?!" The cute little monsters squeaked in that very same surprise the others were feeling, with Kuriboh and Happy Lover squeaking the loudest. Mahaado and Mana simply smiled, for like the Deep Dweller Royal Family, they had listened to the Prince on the rare occasions when he was in the spotlight.

"Did you hear that Seto!" Mokuba gasped.

"Yeah…!" Seto muttered. He was no less astonished as the others about what was revealed about his rival. "And to think, when we first met him, he couldn't even speak!"

Serenity looked toward his brother to find that he was merely grinning. "Joey, did you know all about this?!"

"Well yeah, Sis." Joey said with a shrug, "Atemu already told me, although I admit I was just as surprised as you were when I first heard about it."

"I knew all about it long before you guys did," Tea said with a smile, "In fact, when I learned about that talent, he was still voiceless."

Atemu chuckled, and said, "Everyone, I'm so glad you brought it up before I forgot about it!" He strummed his lute, nimble fingers tuning the strings. His expression became soft and serene and he said to his friends, "I know… this is **my** sixteenth birthday… but let me have the honors of sharing this most special of gifts to all of you. Especially you, Tea." Tea gasped in amazement before he continued, "Right before I became a human, I promised myself to bestow upon you my gift of song. Now the time has come to fulfil this promise. So, my Lady, here's to you, and to the love we share with each other." It was at this moment he began to play his serenade on his lute, and soon he too began to sing. His already enchanting baritone voice was made even more enchanting with this simple slow melody.

"_**One bright summer's day, when the heather was blooming**_

_**And the silent hills hummed with the honey-lade bee**_

_**I met a fair maid as I homeward was roaming**_

_**She was herding her sheep, on the hills of Glenshee.**_

"_**Oh I stood amazed, said I 'Bonny lassie,**_

_**If you would but go to into Stardale with me,**_

_**A bright carriage you'll have to ride at your leisure**_

_**And I'll make you my bride, oh lass of Glenshee.'**_

"_**'Oh I don't care at all for your horses or carriages**_

_**And I don't care at all for your bold quality**_

_**I'd rather be here in my own country, sir,**_

_**A-feeding my flocks on the hills of Glenshee**_

"_**'So leave me sweet lad, for I'm sure I would blunder**_

_**And set all the gentry a-laughing at me.**_

_**They're good-taught in manners, both old and young yonder**_

_**A thing we know not, up here in Glenshee.'**_

"_**'Don't not think of such stories, but come up beside me.**_

_**Ere Pelor goes 'round, my sweet bride you shall be.**_

_**This night in my arms, I will dote on you kindly.'**_

_**She smiled and consented, my lass of Glenshee.**_

"_**Now long years have passed since we were united**_

_**And seasons have changed but there's no change in me.**_

_**For my love is as pure as the roses of summer**_

_**When the sun's at its height, on the hills of Glenshee.**_"

Throughout the whole song, the humans were in awe at the beauty of his singing. "Mokuba?" Seto said in astonishment.

"What is it, Seto?" Mokuba asked.

"I never thought I would actually say this about Atemu," Seto gasped in reply, "but when it comes to his singing ability, all I can say is… it's **fantastic**!"

"Beautiful!" a teary-eyed Mako Tsunami sniffled, "By the sea gods, it's so beautiful!"

"It's-it's amazing!" Mai said, her own eyes filling with joyous tears, "Oh God, I never thought he would make me cry like this!" And she did cry, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Whoa!" Joey said, "I-I… **WHOA**! Atemu! I never thought you had it in you man!"

"That was… awesome!" Tristan gasped out, and with that, everyone applauded wildly. Atemu slowly climbed off the rock and took a bow.

"Thank you." he humbly said. Just then, Tea ran forward, filled with wonder over her one true love.

"Atemu!" she said, "That was incredible! You really **do** have the most beautiful voice a man can ever possess!"

"I express my gratitude for your kind words." Atemu said with a smile, "but the song I sang was inspired by you." As soon as the group became quiet, he gently took hold of her hands. Now he was the one whose eyes were filled with joyful tears. "Tea, I was still a merman when I first laid eyes on you. Kisara had many statues of humans, and your statue was among her collection. I was truly enchanted by your visage depicted in that statue, but it wasn't until I saw you in the flesh that I truly found love. Somehow, my heart and soul sensed the sheer beauty of your heart and soul; a heart and soul that is pure with all that is right and good. And before I knew it, I have fallen in love with you at first sight. I look in your eyes, and I see the clear blue, cloudless sky within, as bright as the light of day. I understand now that those blue eyes are but a personification of your bright, shining spirit. In times of joy, you shared your smile and laughter. In times of pain, you wiped away the tears of my sorrow, and your words give me courage and strength. True, there are times when even you feel as though you are falling short on certain things. But in spite of your few flaws, or perhaps because of them, my love for you has grown ten times stronger than steel. I dream of an oyster in front of me, and you are the pearl resting within. Oh, my Lady, you have become my everything!" He let out a blissful sigh and loosened his grip on his beloved's hands. "I only have one thing to ask of you. Just one thing." He paused for a moment, reaching into his pouch and his expression showed a bit of confusion. No one saw the playful smirk stretching across Seto's face. No one, that is, except Mokuba, who soon realized that something was up. "Now, how do male humans do this again?" Atemu said out loud, then his smile suddenly returned. "Oh, right! They go like this and…" and he bent down on one knee, earning a surprised gasp from the princess.

"Oh! Oh Atemu!" Tea squealed, and soon everyone who didn't already know quickly realized exactly what was going on. And indeed, what a surprise it was! There were cheers all around as Atemu took out an oyster-shaped box. He opened it up, and inside was a beautiful pink coral hairpin, carved in the shape of a life-sized hibiscus flower. In its center was a Mother of Pearl stamen, with tiny diamonds decorating its very tip. The tears of joy continued to flow down his eyes, and he said,

"Princess Tea, my Lady, my love… will you marry me?"

With that, Tea squealed with overwhelming joy, before she answered, "Oh Atemu! Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, **YES**!" The cheer of the crowd was even louder than ever before, and Atemu stood up and carefully put the merfolk's engagement hairpin in the hair of his true love, and now, fiancée. The two of them gave each other a big hug, before taking part in a very passionate kiss.

"Way to go Atemu!" Joey cheered.

"You really surprised us all this time!" Duke shouted in excited joy. "Congratulations to both of you!"

* * *

From a large rock in the distance, Pegasus watched unseen as Atemu proposed to his beloved human princess. The Sea Mage smiled for his royal friend. "Congratulations, Atemu Boy. It brings me such joy to know that you're getting married." He was about to go back into the water, but suddenly he stopped. "Huh?" Looking out at the sea, his smile faded, and grew into concern. "Looks peaceful enough," Pegasus stated almost grimly, "yet I sense danger approaching. Something terrible is about to unfold." His expression became that of anger. "And I have a feeling those Claws of Tiamat have everything to do about it!" 

Note: The song sung by Kisara is "The Other World" by Pamela Bruner, and the one sung by Atemu is a slightly altered version of the traditonal Scottish song, "Hills of Glenshee". I do not own either of them. They are such wonderful songs, you gotta check them out! Anyway, with it's time for me to start my new chapter, and it's likely I'll be encountering more of that stupid writer's block with this one, so bear with me. Until next time!


	20. Chapter 20

Note: Whew! Sorry it took so long. I've gone through a whole lot of brain farts and writers block since it's so hard to think up what happens next, but don't you worry! I finally got this chapter all set up! I hope you enjoy the fruit of my long labor.

Chapter 20: Tiamat Rising

Lightning flashed nearby the dragon bone tower, lighting up the torch-lit throne room from within. Seated on his throne, Bakura was staring at the stormy sky outside in contemplation. "The thunder roars among black clouds," Bakura mused, "much like how the Fiendish Five Head calls her servants to arms. Of course, not all of them would be around to hear that call."

**Rex kneeled in front of the Great Claw of Tiamat, whose face revealed stern anger. "You failed to capture Atemu and his Princess, didn't you?" Bakura growled.**

"**Forgive me, boss, but I can explain!" Rex said, "I did capture them, but they got away! That pathetic novice merged with his dragon and beat the crud out of my best Dinosa--"**

**"Enough excuses!" Bakura roared, "You're no better than that bug fanatic, Weevil! Now you must suffer the consequences!" No sooner than Bakura finished his sentence than a menacing roar echoed in the throne room. Rex looked up and gasped in fear, for the roar was the roar of a dragon. Before long a silhouette of a five-headed dragon came into view. "I see you recognize this dragon." Bakura muttered, "In case you haven't figured it out already, it's time for his dinner, and you're the main course." Rex stood terrified on the spot, finding himself unable to move. The dragon silhouette roared again, lunging toward the disgraced dinosaur knight. Bakura showed no remorse, nor was his anger appeased until Rex let out a bloodcurdling scream.**

"It's a good thing I got rid of that nincompoop when I did." Bakura said, "He'd definitely get in the way." He stood up and went to the balcony. "It's been one whole month, and now the time has come! I swear I'll destroy Dragon Knight Atemu myself, and his Princess Tea, then both of their kingdoms will be mine!" Then he turned away from the balcony and pointed toward a few of his soldiers. "To arms, Claws of Tiamat! Send forth the Draconic Horde!" The soldiers bowed down on one knee. His command shall be obeyed. It wasn't long before wicked knights riding on viscous dragons could be seen flying out of the tower.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Castle Aria, Atemu and his friends were at the table, enjoying a pleasant meal. As Joey wolfed down the contents of his plate, Atemu couldn't help but chuckle.

"You know Joey," Atemu said, "You really are a self-professed food fanatic. I hope you don't eat like that during the feast at my wedding reception."

"MMPH?! Et Tu, Atemu?!" a stuffed-faced Joey blurted out in annoyance.

"Stop talking with your mouth full." Mai scolded.

"Yeah Joey," added Tristan, "You're a Dragon Knight now. Start acting like one!"

"Hey, I thought I told you: Don't argue with my stomach!" Joey shouted as he slams a plate of food right into Tristan's face.

"That's it! Bring it on!" Tristan shouted, and it didn't take long before he and Joey started bashing each other with the contents of their plates. Luckily Mai was able to move out of the way, as did Serenity, Duke and all the others sitting by that pair, and thus the food fight safely remained one on one.

"Some things never change." Tea said to her fiancée with a giggle.

"Speaking of changes," Shadi said, "Seto, it has come to my attention that there are some new additions in your dragons' family."

"It's true." Seto said with pride, "The baby Blue Eyes have just emerged from their eggs a week before Atemu's birthday. You should have seen them! They're more precious than a treasure chest full of sapphires!" The blue eyed knight smiled to himself. How wonderful it would be to show Kisara his little miracles! But then, Seto's expression suddenly grew sad. "There's just one egg, however. It still hasn't hatched yet. I'm starting to get worried Shadi. I know that tiny heart is still beating, but who knows how long it's going last! I don't want to lose that baby!"

"As a former Deep Dweller," Atemu said, "I understand the worry you feel about your unborn dragon. You may not know this, but most Deep Dweller females tend to lay a large amount of eggs all at once. The largest number that such a female could possibly lay is at least fifty, sometimes more." It was then that Atemu also grew sad. "But there is a reason for such large numbers: it ensures that that among many, there are a few that survive. You see, due to the dangers of the deep, the infant mortality rate is tragically very high for Deep Dwellers. There are predators eager to feast on fertilized Deep Dweller eggs, and some natural disasters are enough to kill the unborn babies within. Even without the outside risk, there are babies that die without hatching at all."

"Oh, the poor things!" Tea gasped, saddened by what she heard.

"If the risk isn't high enough, there are a few unlucky mermaids who could lay no more than three, four, or even five eggs." Atemu explained, "For those mermaids, the danger increases tenfold. Among those few unfortunate souls, even fewer have living children, and even then it's only one or two that survive. As fate would have it, my mother was one of those few mermaids who could not lay many eggs. She was able to lay four of them, but that was all. When my father learned of this, he was not only disappointed; he was deeply heartbroken as well. But you know what? They were blessed with a miracle. Within the span of a single year, all four eggs managed to hatch one by one."

"Don't tell me." Mokuba said playfully, "The four miracle babies happened to be you and your three siblings, right?"

"That's correct, Mokuba." Atemu said with a smile. "The first child was me, in the summer, then came Ishizu in the autumn, Marik in the winter, and finally Kisara in springtime."

Seto was truly astonished. "O Divine Dragon!" he said, "Did it really take **that** long for Kisara to be born?!"

"It certainly did." Atemu said, giving a heartwarming smile.

"Whoa…" Seto gasped. "I sure hope **I** wouldn't have to wait as long for the hatching of that lone dragon's egg… if it hatches at all, that is." Just at this moment a blue skinned elf in green rushed in, bearing a look of near terror on her face.

"Atemu! Tea! I've been looking all over for you!" she cried.

"Mystra?" Atemu said in concern, "What's wrong?"

"It's awful!" Mystra said, "The scouts have spotted a dragon bearing the symbol of the Fiendish Five-Head!"

The whole dining room looked at the Mystical Elf in utter shock, and it was enough to stop Joey and Tristan's personal food fight. "A Claw of Tiamat!" Atemu said in a low, dangerous tone of voice.

"We elves managed to capture him," Mystra continued, "but he gave a wicked grin and said something about a 'Draconic Horde' that will lay waste to Aria… **and** the kingdom of the Deep Dwellers from under the sea, all within three days!"

Atemu's eyes widened. "My ocean home!" he gasped.

"**What?! H-how… how did you…?!"**

"**Know that you're a merman once upon a time? Well, on the boss' behalf, I've been spying on you and your girlfriend in the background. I sent a letter to the boss about this revelation too, and I bet you by now he knows all about you."**

Rex's words echoed in the Prince's head. "Bakura… he's learned of my origins… and now, he's finally going to attack the ocean as well as Aria… Damn it!" Atemu said in a calm sort of anger.

"This is getting serious." Seto said. "Now two realms are in danger. Who knew that Bakura's grudge against Atemu would go so far!" Shadi, who was also at the table, revealed a grim expression on his face.

"I suppose this is the time to summon reinforcements from the neighboring kingdom." He said.

"We can't Shadi! That kingdom is a very long distance from here!" Tea said. "And that captured Claw said that this Draconic Horde is going to come within three days!"

"We don't have a choice, your highness!" Shadi said, raising his voice a bit. That was when Atemu, stood up, slamming the table with both hands as he did so. Everyone looked up at him, startled by his action.

"Tea is right, Shadi!" Atemu shouted, "I have personally studied the map of this world, and with a distance like that we have no time to get reinforcements from that kingdom! Because by the time backup arrives from that area, the damage to our realms will already be done!" Everyone just stared at him in great astonishment, even, Shadi. Atemu calmed down a bit, but his determined glare was still etched on his face. "We have to face Bakura and his army ourselves, and the only way to do that is to combine our forces against him. The soldiers residing in the sea are extremely capable warriors, just like myself and all the Dragon Knights here in the Realm Above. Perhaps by working together as team, we'll take down the Claws of Tiamat once and for all." After a moment of silence, Tea took hold of her beloved's hand.

"Atemu," she said with a small smile, "You spoke on behalf of our people, from both land and sea. You're willing to stand up for them just like a true king. I'm certain you'll be a wonderful king for Aria." Atemu stared at her, and soon he smiled.

Duke suddenly gasped and he said, "Hey, I just thought of something! Do you remember the tale of the five warriors who founded the order of the Dragon Knights? The full version of that tale reveals that the Aspect of Tiamat sent forth a similar Draconic Horde before she made her own attack. They swept over the land like a devastating tidal wave, and the people they didn't kill were made into slaves. When Bahamut saw this, he knew he had to act. From a village unclaimed by his nemesis, he chose five noble men and women to become his warriors. He gave them dragons to ride upon, and bestowed upon them the ability to merge with those dragons and wear them as their armor. Thus the first five Dragon Knights were born. Together, they lead their own army to victory over the Draconic Horde before destroying the Aspect of Tiamat with the aid of their god. And by now, I think you know the rest of the story."

"Curious how you would bring up this legend at a time like this." Shadi said, and everyone turned to face him.

"What do you mean Shadi?" Serenity asked.

"Well, I don't know why," Shadi replied, "But I have this strange feeling that the Order's history is on the verge of repeating itself. This time, however, I fear that the enemy is more powerful than ever before. Even if we were to defeat the Great Claw Bakura, it is certain that something terrible will happen in the aftermath." Before any more words could be said, beams of light suddenly began to shine above the group of friends. Startled, they all looked upwards.

"What the—what are those things?!" Joey exclaimed. For there, floating high above near the ceiling, were five platinum spheres, all moving like a straight halo of planets revolving around an invisible sun. Shadi's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Those spheres…" he gasped, "Those were the same spheres that chose the five warriors from long ago!" No sooner than he finished his sentence than the five spheres stopped following each other and floated slowly toward the group. One of them separated from the others, and gently glided down until it stopped right in front of Atemu. The Prince stared intently, and lifted his hands as if to touch the floating globe. He could feel a sense of power flowing through that sphere, even though he didn't actually touch it. Soon, another sphere floated down, this time stopping in front of Princess Tea.

"What's going on?" Tea whispered as she, too, reached out to feel the sphere's power.

"It is a sign." Shadi said, "Bahamut himself is choosing five new Dragon Knights to become his champions." The third sphere flew down, and to everyone's surprise, it stopped right in front of Joey.

"Dude!" Tristan gasped, "You actually get to be one of the five legends!"

"That's amazing Joey!" Serenity said excitedly. "Bahamut must have something special planned for you!"

"Huh? W-wha?" Joey stuttered in equal astonishment, "Okay, that was unexpected!" By then, the fourth sphere floated toward the group, and after darting from one knight to another, it finally rested in front of Mai.

"Well, well," Mai said with a playful smirk, "looks like the Blue Eyes Platinum Dragon has taken a liking to me."

"That leaves only one left." Mokuba said, looking up at the remaining sphere that was still floating up near the ceiling. The others joined him and stared, and there was a slight pause before the boy asked, "Someone among us is the fifth warrior, but who?" For a moment, the platinum sphere just floated there, spinning like a top in front of the anxious friends. Finally, it started floating downward. Slowly, slowly it went down, and it floated from one person to another. Everyone held their breath. Once it stops moving, who would be standing behind it? Before long, the sphere began to slow down in its movement. It became slower and slower, until finally, it stopped altogether. Everyone gasped when they saw who was behind it.

"Impossible!" Shadi muttered.

"But how?" Atemu said.

"I don't believe it!" Tea said in a hushed tone. The others simply stared in astonishment, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Seto Kaiba also gasped, for he never expected something like this to ever happen. Slowly, he lifted his hands toward the floating sphere. _Why?_ he thought, _Why did you choose __**me**__? After all the things I did to upset you?_ As the sphere's light filled him with power, Seto was also filled with revelation.

_Is this the key… to __**my atonement**?!_

Note: Well, that's it for this chapter. The next chapter will be the start of a tremendous battle, both in the air and underwater! Of course there is this possiblilty... oh crud, another case of writer's block. Hopefully, it's not as steep as this one. Maybe I might even get started on brainstorming other pieces of fanfiction to write. Until next time!


	21. Chapter 21

Note: Finally! I've updated! In between working on "The Dark Magician's Trap" I've been thinking really hard on how to set up this plot! It was worth it! So now before I distract you even further, here's the new chapter of "Blue Eyes White Mermaid"! Enjoy!

Chapter 21: The Call to Arms

News of Bakura's Draconic Horde had spread all over Aria and the undersea kingdom since the day the new generation of Dragon Knight champions have been chosen. Villagers were running in fear for their lives, practically abandoning their homes in order to escape from the destruction they hoped would never occur. Karim and Mystra helped with the evacuation on land, of course, but just close to shore there was a different kind of gathering…

Seto stared long at the scene around him, and he still couldn't believe it. There were warriors everywhere he looked, from all walks of life, from simple soldiers to grand knights in armor like himself. Standing out from the crowd were the four other chosen ones: Joey, in his usual clothes, with Obsidian; Mai, clad in leather armor, with her Harpie's pet dragon; Princess Tea, in her armor, with Seiyaru; and Prince Atemu with Slifer. Seto was himself with his four Blue Eyes White Dragons, Azrael, Djibril, Ibris and Azure. And close by the group stood Shadi, Tristan, Serenity and Duke. Mahaado and Mana, in their human forms, was also among the group. When they learned that Atemu was the leader of a new generation of Dragon Knight champions, they were determined to help him out in the coming war against the Horde. Together, they all stared at the shore, waiting. Finally, Kuriboh squealed and started bouncing up and down, pointing in the direction of the sea. Everyone looked, and Mana asked the little monster, "What is it, Kuriboh?"

Atemu simply replied, "They're here." And he was right. The first thing that came into view from the distance was Mako Tsunami, Great White, and Ruby riding their Fortress Whale and as it came closer, it became more obvious that they were not alone. Surging forward like a massive tidal wave was an army of aquatic warriors, most of which consisted of various Deep Dwellers and Dolphin Folk. Each carried a weapon fit for watery battles, like spears, tridents, nets and the like. Some rode upon aquatic monsters, while others jumped in and out of the water with skill and grace. Many let out a melodious war cry that echoed in the ears of the land warriors. None of them stopped until they were close to the waters that led to the shore, and when Atemu and Seto looked over to the army, their eyes widened in surprise. There, right in front of them, was a certain white mermaid with ocean blue eyes.

"Seto! Atemu!" she called out, swimming towards them.

"Kisara!" Seto shouted, "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm here to help you!" Kisara replied.

"No Kisara," Atemu said, "It's too dangerous! You could get hurt in the battlefield!"

"But Big Brother--" Kisara said.

"He's right Kisara," Seto interrupted, "We don't want you to put your life at risk just to help us!"

"Please, listen to me!" Kisara pleaded, "You and Atemu have always been kind enough to help me at the risk of your own lives, so at least let me get a chance to return the favor!" The two men were so astounded by the white mermaid's determination that they just stared at her, utterly speechless. They would have remained so had Mako not call out to them.

"Ahoy there!" he shouted over the noise of the aquatic warriors, "My crew and I are ready to harpoon some evil dragons!"

"Glad you're here to help!" Seto said.

"Oh, by the way—Atemu, your parents are on their way here!"

Atemu's eyes widened in surprise. "What, really? But why are they coming here?!" That question was about to be answered, for he soon saw several more figures approaching. Three of them were swimming like crazy, and it turned out to be Solomon, Ishizu and Marik. And in a giant scallop shell chariot drawn by actual dolphins, sat King Akunumkanon, carrying his trident with his Queen by his side.

"Oi, I'm getting too old for this!" Solomon muttered just as he reached the waters near the shore. Marik and Ishizu arrived soon after.

"Hey Bro!" Marik exclaimed, "Mom and Dad want to talk to you. And bring Mahaado and Mana over here too, it's really important!" Mahaado and Mana stared at the scoundrel in astonishment, then looked at each other. What plan does the King have in store for them? Shadi, upon noticing the royal couple, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings Your Majesties." Shadi said, "You must be the parents of Atemu, Dragon Knight of Exalted Action, correct?"

"That is correct." King Akunumkanon replied politely.

"As the High Priest of Bahamut, it is an honor to finally meet you." Shadi said reverently. The King simply nodded in acknowledgement.

"I have heard about you through my eldest son." He said, "Perhaps you can help me with something right now."

"I would be honored." Shadi said.

"Mahaado, Mana," Akunumkanon called out, "Please step forward." Again, the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl gave a look of surprise, but nevertheless, they did as the King requested. With everyone watching, the Queen took out a beautiful conch shell.

"The Great Claw you have faced before will be more powerful than you can ever imagine," the Queen said, "and thus more dangerous. This is why we are to bestow upon you a gift that can help you in this battle. Please take it." And with that, she blew the conch shell. Suddenly, to everyone's amazement, two summon circles lit from underneath Mahaado and Mana.

"Now Shadi," Akunumkanon said, raising his trident, "do exactly as I tell you. When the time is right, unleash your power to combine it with my own." And with that, he raised his trident upward. The trident also started to glow, and immediately, streams of magic shot out of the summon circles and covered the two Dark Magicians. They could feel incredible power flowing into them, wrapping around them like a silk sheet. They both closed their eyes and fell into a trance. "Now Shadi!" Akunumkanon commanded. Shadi started chanting immediately and a glowing ball of white light appeared between his hands. Once this ball of light was the size of a basketball, he flung it into the summon circles. Mahaado and Mana were both bathed completely in a beam of light, and many onlookers nearby, especially Atemu and his friends, had to cover their eyes to avoid being blinded. When at last, the light faded away, Atemu was the first to look up. He gasped in awe at what he saw, and when Seto, Joey, Tea, and all the others looked up, they did the same.

Mahaado's appearance was completely different from what it was before. Gone were the flowing violet robes, replaced with a skin-tight, dark violet leather armor with decorative shoulder armor. His biceps, forearms, thighs and forelegs had multiple magenta buckles made of leather. And the buckles all over his chest were arranged exactly like the buckles arranged on Atemu's outfit, only the sides of each one was lined with a gold color. His headdress bore a strong resemblance to a jester's hat, but the front of it was like a stylized magenta crown with a small blue gem and a large round green gem slightly above it. Mahaado's long hair, which was now exposed, had become even longer, almost to the point of reaching below his hip area, and the dark violet color had now become a complete midnight black. As for his skin, it had turned into a gorgeous shade of azure, much like the deep blue of the daytime sky itself.

Mana's outfit had changed rather slightly. It had become sharper, and almost all of its linings had become shining gold. Her boots had reached close to her knees and a pink cloth covered those knees, lining up thinly at the front of her thighs. Her short pink skirt had lengthened to reach her knees, yet it was spread like an upside down flower, and it had become a dark lavender. Her headdress remained the same shape, but on the sides was now a pair of golden wing designs, completing the new look.

Mahaado and Mana opened their eyes, and when they looked at themselves, and at each other, they were just as astonished. They looked toward the Sea King.

"Your magic is now enhanced," Akunumkanon explained, "and new spells add to the power you already have. Now your magic is three times more powerful than ever before."

"Your Majesty," Mana gasped, "I-I don't know what to say!"

The Queen chuckled sweetly. "Let's just say that you and your master have both been promoted, Mana!" she said, "I'm sure it will prove helpful."

King Akunumkanon faced the two bewildered magicians with a smile. "Mahaado," he said, "From this day forward, you will be known as the Magician of Black Chaos. And Mana, you will be known as Magician's Valkyria. May you smite the Draconic Horde with your might!"

Mahaado bent down on one knee and bowed to the King. "Thank you your Majesty! We shall use our gift to its fullest in the war against the Claws of Tiamat!"

King Akunumkanon smiled, then turned toward his son. "As for you, Atemu, you shall also receive a gift. It's not something that would improve your skill in battle, but I think it will suit you perfectly." Carefully, he reached down into the shell chariot and picked up with both hands an object that Atemu found surprisingly familiar. The prince gasped in awe as he realized exactly what this object happens to be: it was his old crown, the one that Kisara gave him on his fifteenth birthday, his final birthday as a merman, the one he wore until the night he became a human. Only, it was no longer just a simple circlet. It was now a circular band, decorated with a pair of stylized wings, one wing on each side.

"Father…" Atemu said, unable to believe he wasn't dreaming.

"This crown I hold has changed in symbolism as well as in form." Akunumkanon said, "What was once a symbol of what you used to be is now a symbol of what you will become: a noble leader, and a true king." He handed the crown to Atemu, and said, "This is your time, my son. Make the best of it, and may you emerge victorious."

Atemu smiled at his father, and slowly put on his crown. Through these gifts, Akunumkanon and his Queen had also given him inspiration. And more than anything, he wanted to share that inspiration. He turned to face the now large army before him, becoming serious as he began his speech.

"Friends from the sea, and from the Realm Above, listen well. As most of you have already known, I was not originally human. In the past, I was once a merman, a Deep Dweller, a creature of the sea just like some of the soldiers that make up this army. And like most creatures of the sea, I knew nothing about the Claws of Tiamat, or of the Dragon Knights of Bahamut for that matter. What I did know is that no matter where you live, the world can be a very dangerous place. Even before I became a human, I was warrior, willing to risk death if it means making this world much safer than it is before. Some of you know firsthand the experience of being such a warrior. Perhaps a few of you lost a trusted comrade or two in battle, or maybe you even lost a limb. Still, there are even those among you who narrowly escaped the jaws of death, right at the last minute. But in spite of those hardships, you continue to persevere, you continue to fight, for justice, for truth, for freedom, for all that is good in this world!" Atemu paused, surveying all the eyes that were upon him, eyes of soldiers and knights willing and eager to hear more. "Even as I speak, the Claws of Tiamat have banded together to form a Draconic Horde that is going to invade both the lands of Aria and the world beneath the ocean. They plan to destroy our homes, slaughter our families, bring forth pain and misery! But listen well my friends from the sea and the Realm Above, we all have what it takes to keep that from happening! We have what it takes to stop Bakura and his Horde, and put an end to his menace once and for all! If there is any among you who, for some reason, feel a sense of enmity toward each other due to issues of race, put aside all of your differences! For it is only by working together that we can destroy the Draconic Horde, just as the first Dragon Knights have done in the distant past! Only as a team can we win in this war! The time has come to rise up against this evil!" He lifted his sword high above his head and shouted as loud as he can, "WHO'S WITH ME?!" The response was phenomenal! Everywhere he looked, Atemu could see countless warriors raising their weapons, all of them giving an enthusiastic battle cry. Some of the Deep Dwellers and Dolphin Folk, and even the monsters that live with them jumped out of the sea. Only Seto was silent, for he was staring in awe at the soldiers, knights, mercenaries and other fighters for the cause, and he too was inspired by the speech made my his former rival—and soon-to-be king. Tea walked to her fiancée and took hold of his arm. He looked over to his beloved and smiled.

"Let's go." she said in a low tone. In response, Atemu gave a single nod in acknowledgement before he and the princess went over to mount their Slifer and Seiyaru.

"Yeah! Let's knock them dead!" Joey hollered as he mounted Obsidian, followed by Mai, who mounted the Harpie's pet dragon.

As Tristan mounted his Thunder Dragon, he said to Serenity, "Wait here for me, all right?"

"Uh, okay." Serenity replied, even as Duke mounted his Curse of Dragon.

"You ready for this?" Duke asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be!" Tristan replied.

As everyone was getting ready, Seto stared out at the sea ahead of him. _My dream of becoming a merman would have to wait for now._ he thought to himself, _This is the time for redemption._

"Seto?" Kisara said, grabbing his attention. They stared at each other's blue eyes, and they smiled.

"I guess you **can** put those stingers to good use." Seto said.

Heehee, I plan on doing just that!" the white mermaid said confidently. "Good luck with your side of the battle."

The blue eyed knight gave a single nod, then called out, "Azure! Azrael! Djibril! Ibris! Let's kick some Tiamat ass!" The four Blue Eyes White Dragons answered the call, and Seto immediately mounted Azure. Shadi cast a flight spell upon himself and joined up with Mahaado and Mana, who had already rose up to the air to join with Atemu. Once the whole army was ready for battle, the Prince let out a great battle cry and Slifer launched himself into the air. All the other dragons and flying monsters took flight after him, and the warriors and monsters of the sea started their swim away from the shore. It was a magnificent force, and as they surged across the wide-open sea, ready to take part in their final confrontation with Bakura and his minions.

Note: There you have it! It's going to be hard work before the plot in my mind meets up with what is already in my head, but everthing will go smoothly again what it does. The first part of the final batte will start in the next chapter! And for those of you who aren't doing it already, go and check out "The Dark Magician's Trap", I'm sure you'll love it! Until next time!


	22. Chapter 22

Note: FINALLY! I finished this chapter and updated! Now the war begins! Enjoy!

Chapter 22: Clash of the Dragons

The journey was indeed long, and the strip of land that was Aria became somewhat of a tiny speck before the five Chosen and their army finally stopped. The soldiers, knights, and even the monsters readied themselves, waiting for Bakura's Draconic Horde to arrive. Atemu, who was ahead of his fellow Dragon Knights, peered over the horizon from atop Slifer. "Any sign of them yet?" Seto asked.

"Not yet." Atemu replied.

"C'mon, you stupid Claws of Tiamat! Show up so I can kick your butt already!" Joey growled impatiently. Obsidian let out an equally impatient growl.

"Calm down Joey." Mai said, "You'll get your chance."

"Hey, listen!" Princess Tea said suddenly, and for a moment everyone grew silent. From a distance, there was the sound of menacing growls and roars.

"Do you hear that?!" Duke gasped, "It sounds like monsters!"

"Is that what I think it is?" Tristan said glaring.

Mana flew forward to investigate the sound. She let out a gasp. "The sound's starting to get louder! Something's approaching us!"

"Mako," Mahaado shouted, "Go check out the source of that sound!" Upon his Fortress Whale, Mako quickly went to the very top and took out his telescope.

"Just as I thought!" Mako proclaimed, peering through his telescope, "Horde of evil dragons and sea monsters on the port bough! Prepare the torpedoes and cannons!"

"Aye Aye!" shouted Ruby and Great White, preparing their own weapons. In the water, Kisara, Ishizu, Marik and Solomon all stared ahead of them, in the direction of the wicked sound. It wasn't long before many wicked dragons came into view.

"Here they come…" Atemu said with a glare, readying his sword. And indeed they were approaching them in full speed. The Draconic Horde was like a large ominous cloud surging toward the valiant army in order to get to Aria. There was a large horde in the sea as well, some of them underwater, and they were heading toward the capital city of the Deep Dwellers. And on every single dragon in flight, there was a warrior clad in chromatic dragon armor, murder in their eyes. Atemu raised his sword high above his head and once again he let out a spirited battle cry. His friends, family, and then his entire army echoed with their own battle cry, and with Atemu leading them, they all charged head on to their enemy. It did not take long before the two opposing armies clashed with each other. The ultimate war had begun. And indeed, things were intense. Many warriors on dragons and other flying mounts took part in a deadly joust, and many fell into the water below.

"YAAHH!" shouted Joey, slashing one Claw of Tiamat with his long axe. "Take that you big lizard!" Three more Claws flew in front of him, but he only smirked. "Obsidian! Take 'em down with INFERNO FIRE BLAST!" Obsidian gladly obeyed her friend and master, and she spat out her breath weapon to obliterate her foes.

Meanwhile, Mai was slashing off enemy heads with her rapier. Behind her, the three Harpie Lady Sisters, Airo, Keraino, and Octopite, were attacking several other foes, tearing them to bits with their talons. "You guys don't stand a chance!" Airo said.

"Look out Mai!" Keraino hollered in alarm just as a Spear Dragon was heading toward their friend in tremendous speed. Mai, taken by surprise, was not fast enough to react, but then two bolts of lightning struck the beast just in time, and it fell into the sea below. She looked up to the source of the bolts and smiled.

"Nice shot there, Tristan!" Mai said.

Tristan, with his Thunder Dragon and Thunder Kid by his side, gave her a thumbs-up. "Thanks! We were just warming up!" Thunder Kid grunted proudly.

"Heads up Tristan!" Duke shouted just as another monster, a Berfomet, was charging toward the Thunder Dragon. "DRAGON FLAME!!" Duke commanded his Curse of Dragon, and he dutifully obeyed, letting out his own breath weapon to burn the Berfomet into a crisp.

"Whoa!" Tristan said, "That was too close!"

"Just be glad you had me behind your back!" Duke replied.

At the same time, underwater, the soldiers and knights among the true merfolk were taking part in their own intense battle. Many of them used their tridents and spears to dispatch their foes, and some of the Deep Dwellers used their natural weapons as well. One blowfish merman lured five bull-rushing monster sharks to attack him, and once those sharks were close enough to harm him, he swelled up like a balloon and his blowfish spikes impaled them all at once. Two electric eel merman did a surprise attack on some Claws of Tiamat who used magic to breathe underwater, and together they shocked the wicked knights with one thousand volts of electricity. Marik let out an unearthly screech as he thrust his elder brother's old platinum spear right into the gaping maw of a Giant Red Seasnake. That spear's tip burst right through the Seasnake's head and it roared in pain before it fell to the sandy ground. "Atemu's spear suits you well, Marik." Ishizu said.

"Heh, I always wanted to fight with this baby!" Marik said with a sadistic grin. "I'm gonna make my Big Bro proud." Just then another Giant Red Seasnake surged forward with the intent of slaughter. Just in time, Marik stung it with his fins. Ishizu swam underneath and used the fins on her back to add her own potent venom to the mix, and even struck it with a dagger. It convulsed in agony, until finally it stopped moving all together, sinking downward. That's when the two Royal Deep Dwellers saw their grandfather facing a Fiend Kraken, his droopy fins fanned out. The Kraken glared menacingly at the old merman, raising its tentacles to strike.

"Ho ho, I know what you're thinking!" Solomon said with a smirk, "Too bad! You've underestimated me!" And as the Fiend Kraken slammed a tentacle downward, Solomon struck that tentacle with his camouflaged stingers. As it too went through convulsions, Solomon shouted proudly, "I may not be as quick as I used to be, but my venom is still potent!"

Back at the surface, Princess Tea was in the midst of a brawl against a female Claw of Tiamat. So far, the latter was having the upper hand, and with a wicked smirk, she charged head on. But Tea was prepared. "RAZOR FIRE BLAST!" she commanded Seiyaru, and the faithful dragon unleashed her breath attack. While the Claw was distracted at dodging that attack, Tea struck the Claw's wicked dragon with her spear, cleaving its still attached head in two. She then bashed the startled Claw of Tiamat right in the face, and sent her falling in a different direction. Not so far away, Atemu watched the small-scale cat fight, smirking to himself. Who knew his fiancée could punch so hard?

"Azure, Go! WHITE LIGHTNING ATTACK!" Seto commanded. With a roar, Azure made her attack. Several opposing soldiers were demolished in a flash. But many others still made their advance. In fact, one brute swung his large axe and struck Azure on the side. She roared in pain as she was knocked a bit off balance. Startled by the attack, Seto nevertheless managed to hold on for dear life until he was able to get his favorite Blue Eyes back into position.

"Seto!" Atemu shouted in shock. "Are you all right?!"

"I'm fine, thank you, but Azure's been hit!" Seto said, looking over the bleeding wound that was inflicted upon his dragon friend. He turned his attention back to the brute, rage in his eyes. "You'll pay for hurting my friend! Azrael, Djibril, Ibris, obliterate that Tiamat scum!" The three other Blue Eyes White Dragons flew behind their companion and let out their White Lightning Attack. Several Claws of Tiamat were destroyed in the resulting blast, but still, many more reinforcements arrived.

"Fire the cannons!" Mako shouted from his Fortress Whale. Ruby shot her arrows from within her oyster shell as the cannonballs blasted off. The Red Archery Girl truly lived up to her name as the arrows struck their targets, both in air and in water. The cannonballs were just as rough on the wicked 'navy' of sea monsters, and the roars of several ocean bound dragons were heard on impact, and water splashed in large waves. But to the dismay of the Dragon Knight Army, there were even more dragons, more soldiers, heck, even more monsters coming from among the Draconic Horde!

"They just keep coming!" Joey shouted in frustration.

"All right! We have no choice!" Mako barked, "Time to bring out the big guns!" And with that, the Fortress Whale opened its huge mouth. "Ready! Aim!" From the Whale's mouth a ball of water began to take form, and it grew larger. "FIRE!" Immediately the giant ball transformed into a massive jet stream, which blasted into the bulk of the Horde.

"Woo hoo!" Great White shouted, "You da man, Captain!"

Atemu gave a smirk at this display and said to his companions, "Let's take Mako's command to heart and bring out the big guns!"

"Right!" Shouted his companions with a nod.

"Slifer! ATTACK!!" Atemu commanded, and Slifer opened his mighty jaw and let out his devastating breath weapon. A large group of Claws didn't stand a chance.

"Now it's my turn!" Seto shouted, "Azrael! Djibril! Ibris! Combine and become one!" The three Blue Eyes started glowing, and they flew upward before they merged together in a brilliant white light. When the light faded, there was the three-headed Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon in all its glory. Upon seeing this magnificent beast, most of the Claws of Tiamat and their dragon mounts froze in fear. "Now!" Seto commanded, "NEUTRON BLAST!!" At the same time, Mahaado and Mana flew upward in front of the dragon, preparing a combo as its three heads all breathed in at once.

"CHAOS SCEPTER BLAST!" Mahaado shouted, pointing his staff in the direction of the enemy.

"MYSTIC SCEPTER BLAST!" Mana hollered likewise. That was when the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon unleashed its attack, and together with the magic of Magician's Valkyria and the Magician of Black Chaos, the big guns had become even bigger. The army was blasted away in an instant, and those who managed to survive fled at once. It wasn't long before the soldiers in the sea also began to withdraw. Great White literally took a bite off of a Man-Eating Black Shark who continued to press the fight, and he tore off an arm. Before the evil man-shark could retaliate, Kisara came out of nowhere and stung him to death. As more and more Claws of Tiamat withdrew from the battle, the Dragon Knight and their army cheered.

"Yeah!" Tristan cheered, "We did it!"

Joey was grinning at the victory, until he saw that Atemu and Seto weren't smiling. "Huh? Hey, what's up?" he asked, "Why the long faces? We beat the crud out of the Draconic Horde! We won! You should be happy."

Atemu's glare did not waver as he stared ahead. "We haven't won just yet."

"What?!" Mai said in surprise, "What do mean?"

"This is only just the beginning." Seto replied, "We may have beaten the Horde, but we still have their leader to deal with." As if on cue, a rumbling noise suddenly broke through the cheers of the army, and all fell silent. The rumbling continued until slowly, something emerged from the shadows in the distance. Tea gasped at the sight.

"Look!" she shouted, pointing to that object. As it turns out, it was a tower made completely out of dragon bones. And as it was coming closer, it was actually sinking deeper into the water!

"Ha ha ha ha! Come to me 'Chosen Ones'!" a sinister voice called out from the tower, "I'm more than eager to take part in a rematch! Either way, both of your kingdoms will be mine!"

"Bakura…" Atemu growled. In the ocean, Kisara was with the rest of her family staring at the Dragon Bone Tower. The white mermaid lifted her hand, which held the beloved Blue Eyes White Dragon brooch. _Seto_, she thought, clasping it lovingly, _I'll do my very best to help you and Atemu defeat this evil! I swear it!_ And with that, she looked back up at the tower with a glare that would make her eldest brother proud.

Note: Part one of the final battle begins and one thing's for certain: it's going to take place underwater! Bear with me because this is another Writer's Block hurdle for me! Until next time!


	23. Chapter 23

Note: FINALLY! The next chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid is complete! Battle scenes are so my weakness! No wonder it took about a year to get this done! Anyway, the final battle begins now! Enjoy the fruit of my labor!

Chapter 23: The Final Battle, Part One

As the tip of the Dragon Bone tower started to sink down into the water, Prince Atemu's glare never wavered. After staring long and hard at the tower, he finally spoke again. "It's time." he said in a low tone, then he looked over to his fellow Champions. "Get ready everyone!" Atemu said, "We're going in!"

"Okay!" Princess Tea replied.

"You got it Atemu!" Joey shouted. Obsidian let out a determined roar, as did the Harpie's Pet Dragon that Mai was riding on.

"I'm ready when you are!" Mai said with a confident smirk.

It was then that Atemu looked over the blue eyed knight. "Seto?" he asked.

Seto gave a single nod in acknowledgement and replied, "Let's go." And with that, the five Dragon Knight Champions headed toward the sea with their dragons. As they neared the water, an azure-white aura briefly surrounded Atemu, Tea, Joey and Mai. Seto knew what was going on. _Divine Dragon… with your blessing, all of my companions are granted the ability to breathe underwater, if only for this battle._ He then held up his hand. In it was a petal of the magic water lily that was kept in Shadi's garden. _I, unfortunately, must still rely on Shadi's water lily, for I still have yet to atone for the abuse of your blessing. But… I will do what it takes to earn your forgiveness and become worthy in your eyes once more._ Immediately, he put the lily petal in his mouth, chewed it up, swallowed it as the magic took affect right before he and the others plunged right into the ocean. Down they went into the depths, their faithful dragons leaving a trail of bubbles in their wake. At the very same time, Kisara dove into the sea right after the five Chosen.

"K-Kisara, wait!" Solomon exclaimed as he, Ishizu and Marik all dove in after her.

"Are you nuts?!" Marik hollered. "This is Bakura, the baddest of the bad! You'll get yourself killed if you try and face him!"

"That won't stop me from helping the one I love!" Kisara insisted, "So stop worrying about me, and instead, lend the Five Dragon Knight Champions your aid as well!" The three Deep Dwellers just stared with a look of surprise as the white mermaid princess sped ahead of them toward the team of five, but nevertheless they followed her. At the same time, the Champions and their dragons found themselves right in front of the now-submerged Dragon Bone Tower at its very entrance.

"Whoa, that thing is huge!" Joey said in exasperation.

"No kidding. The Great Claw of Tiamat has always had a need for big luxury in order to gain the favor of his wicked goddess." Mai mused in annoyance.

"In any case, we'll need to stay close together." Atemu suggested, "You never know what kind of traps will be set for us inside."

Seto looked behind him, and was surprised to find the other members of Atemu's family rushing toward them, led by his princess, Kisara. Turning back to face the Prince, he said, "Don't worry, we've got help to back us up in case things get nasty." Atemu and the others looked behind them and saw the incoming Deep Dwellers, truly surprised.

"Hello Big Brother!" Kisara greeted as she swam toward the team.

Atemu just smirked at his little sister. "Heh heh, always the adventurer, aren't we." His expression became serious once again. "All right everyone, let's go!"

"You got it!" Tea said.

"Count me in!" Joey shouted. And so, the five Chosen and their dragons entered the tower, with the rest of the Deep Dweller Royals close behind them. Inside, the tower was dark, lit only by glowing crystal balls resting on the torches meant for fire. And if that wasn't intimidating enough, the walls were covered with motifs of evil dragons. One motif in particular depicted a dragon with five heads, all of them with their mouths wide open.

"Bakura's gotta be around here somewhere…" Mai muttered.

"Be cautious." Solomon warned, "You never know when he might strike." No sooner than the elder merman finished his sentence than the eyes on each of the five heads started glowing.

"Huh?" Marik said, "What the hell?!" Suddenly, some dragon skeletons shot out of the shadows and grabbed seven of the nine adventurers, their bony tails wrapping tightly around the Harpie's pet dragon, Seiyaru and Obsidian. Princess Tea and Princess Kisara screamed.

"Tea!" Atemu shouted in shock.

"Kisara! No!" hollered Seto. Evil laughter soon echoed in the halls, and Azure let out an angry growl. Seto and Atemu likewise glared dangerously. "You!" Seto growled.

"So you do-gooders have made it to my lair." Bakura's voice chuckled. "I'm pleased with your efforts, but this will be as far as you go!"

Atemu could no longer contain his rage. "Bakura!" he blurted out, "If you think you can take control of Aria and the ocean of my birth on behalf of that evil goddess of yours, then you are tragically mistaken! We will destroy you!"

At first, there was silence, but then Bakura started chuckling. Soon his wicked chuckle escalated into mocking laughter, before finally, he spoke. "So the Dragon Knight of Exalted Action has finally broken his silence! Good timing in my part, now I'm eager to hear you scream." The dragon skeletons immediately swam up the corridors of the tower, taking their captives with them. Joey and Mai were struggling hard to get free of the skeleton's bony grip.

"Leggo you boneheads!" Joey shouted in anger.

"I can't sting them!" Marik complained, striking his fins on the bone in vain.

"Well how can you poison something that's already dead?!" Ishizu barked.

"Atemu! Seto! Help!" Kisara cried.

"Hang in there Kisara!" Atemu shouted, "Slifer, follow them!" The red serpentine dragon that is Slifer let out a roar and surged forward.

"Atemu wait!" Seto hollered, "I'm coming with you! Let's go Azure!" Azure let out a loud roar, as did the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and they attempted to follow after the Prince. But suddenly, ten merfolk skeletons swam up in front of him in blinding speed, stopping him in his tracks, and separating him from Atemu. Each one of them was riding a huge zombie dragon, and wielding wicked spears. "What the?! Crud!" he said, "That Tiamat scum would do just about anything to cripple this team!" The skeletons and their zombie dragon mounts lunged in for the attack. "All right," Seto roared at the undead guards, "If you want a fight, I'll give you one! Azure, Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, let's take them down!" In response, Azure lunged at one of the zombie dragons, biting it right on the neck. Seto then swam off his dragon, swung his sword and sliced its aquatic skeleton rider in two. The zombie dragon reared its ugly head to retaliate, its mouth wide open, but just when it attempted to strike, Seto sliced its head in the middle, then cut it off. Another skeleton swung its spear, But in spite of being underwater, Seto dodged it with almost no effort and destroyed it as well. Azure unleashed her breath weapon to obliterate the zombie it was riding. "Thanks Azure!" Seto said with a smirk. But then he frowned at the undead guards that remained. They surrounded the blue eyed knight and his dragons, even hindering the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon with their tightening grasp. Worse yet, more of those undead warriors arrived as reinforcements. "Damn! These creatures are really holding us back!" Seto growled in rage. "Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, get a hold of yourself and wipe them out with your NEUTRON BLAST!" The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon roars and using its wings, it bashed the enemies that were crawling over it. As they all were forced off, the three-headed dragon unleashed its breath weapon. The undead guards were all destroyed in an instant. "Finally." Seto said, and he immediately swam over and mounted Azure. "Now let's catch up with Atemu before something terrible happens!" The dragons complied immediately, swimming up the spiraling hall where they saw Atemu and Slifer leave.

* * *

Meanwhile, Atemu was speeding up the long hall with Slifer. They had both lost sight of their captured friends, and now they found themselves in a very disturbing room. It was empty, and the walls were covered with even more plaques depicting Tiamat. Atemu growled as he entered. "Damn it, where did you take them Bakura?" he hissed in righteous anger. "You better not have harmed them in any way or you will regret it!" He looked around, and then said, "What is this place anyway?" There was silence throughout the whole room. The stone dragons on the plaques seemed to stare out at him, intimidating him to no end. "Stay on your guard Slifer." He said. Slifer growled in reply. Slowly, they swam further inside. The eyes of the stone dragons began to glow with a yellow light. Upon noticing this, Atemu gasped, and raised his sword. Suddenly, without warning, something shot out of nowhere like an arrow, striking Slifer on the side. The red serpentine dragon roared in pain and a cloud of blood spewed from a great wound. "Slifer! No!" Atemu shouted as his dragon fell to the floor. Immediately, the Prince swam upward to avoid further injury. Wicked laughter echoed in the room.

"You think you can defeat me? Let's see how well you play this game!" Then to Atemu's shock, one of the heads detached from the wall and lunged at him. Atemu raised his sword and its blade made impact with the head's surprisingly sharp teeth. He struggled hard, but managed to push it back. But suddenly another dragon head shot out from behind. The Prince swung his sword, but it wrapped its long neck around his wrist, holding him fast. A third dragon head came out of the plaques, opening its mouth. Out came a beam of lightning, and it struck him with a direct hit. Atemu let out a scream of pain as electricity shot through his body. Before vanishing, a bolt struck the side of his stomach and cut it like a knife. "Augh!" cried Atemu as he clutched the bleeding wound with his free hand. The dragon head that made the attack then wrapped its neck around his leg, immobilizing him even further. Before long, other stone dragon heads stretched out from the plaques and they all hovered in front of him, their eyes glowing and their sharp teeth gnashing. Many of them were growling, and some of them hissed like snakes. Another serpentine dragon head coiled its neck around Atemu's other leg. He tried to pull himself free, but it was no good. His unnatural captors tightened their grip. "You poor little merman!" mocked Bakura's voice, "Trapped in a net of my stone guardians with no way out! You know, since your loved ones are close by, it would be very entertaining to see their reaction as you get torn apart by my creation, limb by limb." The dragon heads below the Prince began to coil around the injured Slifer, who let out a roar that echoed in the whole room.

Atemu looked around frantically. "We're surrounded!" he said to his dragon, and he tried tugging his sword arm again. "Ugh, I can't move!" Immediately, yet another dragon head shot out, wrapping its long neck around the Prince. It bit him on the sword arm, and just as he started to scream in pain, it tightened its grip on his neck. He was beginning to panic, as breathing became even more difficult. Soon his eyes stung with tears unseen in ocean water. Never in his life has he ever felt so helpless in battle. There were too many stone dragon heads, and he was quickly losing the strength to fight. _Is this it?_ he thought, _Is this how I'm going to die?_ He closed his eyes in despair. _Please, forgive me…_

"CHAOS SCEPTER BLAST!" shouted a familiar voice in command, and a huge sphere of magical energy shot out and destroyed the mass of heads that held Atemu captive. The Prince opened his eyes and he quickly looked up in surprise.

"Mahaado?" Atemu gasped, for above him was the Magician of Black Chaos in his Dolphin Folk form! He looked just like the anthropomorphic hourglass dolphin he was before, but where there was once white, there was a bright azure, just like in his human form. The dark violet markings had become an even darker hue, reminiscent of the armor he wears as a human, and there were markings in the shape of magenta spirals to add to the mystic affect. His long midnight black hair swayed in the water as he swam toward his childhood friend.

"Atemu! Are you all right?" he asked in concern.

"I am now." Atemu replied gratefully, "Thank you."

"Master!" called another familiar voice. It was Mana. As a Dolphin Folk mermaid, she looked little different than she did before, but like Mahaado, she had small markings that took the form of spirals, only her's was a lavender color, and the white contrast had become a yellow gold. She had a glare etched on her face, and she gripped hard on her staff. "Don't let your guard down just yet!" she said, "That monster's still lurking about!" As if on cue, more stone dragon heads slithered out of the walls, rearing up and hissing.

"Well, I didn't expect you to get reinforcements." Bakura's voice chuckled, "That doesn't matter. My creation will still tear you apart, right before the eyes of your comrades!" With that, the dragon heads lunged forward, their mouths wide open and ready to attack. Mahaado, however, immediately raised his staff and summoned a magical shield to protect the three warriors.

"We'll have to find its weakness, and quickly!" Mahaado shouted, "I can't keep this shield going for much longer!" The Prince looked around frantically.

_Think!_ Atemu thought to himself, _Many lives are depending on it!_ Then suddenly, he looked down. _Wait… the floor! It's as smooth as when Slifer and I entered! I wonder…_ He immediately swam downward, much to the horror of the two magicians.

"Atemu, where are you going?!" Mana shouted. Atemu sped up, narrowly dodging the attacking heads. Finally, he reached the floor, and raised his sword.

"Mahaado, Mana! The source of these heads…" Atemu hollered as he thrust it into the floor. "… is **right here**!" The floor started quaking, and cracks began to form. The cracks grew larger and more numerous, until finally something shattered it altogether! And from the floor emerged the very source of the serpentine dragon heads: a giant statue of a fierce dragon, the body of which many stray dragon heads emerged! It let out an unnatural roar, as if enraged that the Dragon Knight leader had stabbed it on its back.

"I don't believe this!" Mahaado gasped. Slifer lifted his head then. Atemu took notice right away.

"Slifer, if you still have the strength, obliterate this beast!" Slifer, of course, didn't have to wait long to obey his master and friend, and he opened up his second mouth—the mouth that rested above the first! A ball of lightning began to form, growing larger with the dragon's godlike power. Then he unleashed the breath weapon, which took the form of an electrical beam filled with the wrath of a thunderstorm. The dragon statue let out a roar before it exploded, destroying all the stone dragon heads with it.

"Whoa, so that's the beast's weakness!" Mana said in awe. Atemu swan up to join his friends.

"There isn't much time left!" he said, "We have to save everyone, otherwise the sea and Aria are doomed!" Suddenly, the walls began to collapse on one side. There, on the other side, was the Great Claw's throne room. Bakura was on the throne itself, smirking wickedly, and behind him was Atemu's friends and family, all chained to the three-dimensional mural of the goddess Tiamat.

"Atemu, you made it!" Joey shouted, relieved that his friend had come to the rescue. Princess Tea looked up upon hearing the blonde's voice, and her eyes shone at the sight of her beloved fiancée.

"Atemu!" she shouted. The dragons roared, as they and the others struggled to get free in order to join their leader. Bakura chuckled and floated up from his throne, not fazed by the fact the Prince was glaring at him.

"Welcome to the heart of my Dragon Bone tower." He said smugly, "I'm impressed at how you managed to destroy my trap. You truly lived up to your potential." He drew his sword slowly.

"Enough of your flattery, Bakura!" Atemu growled, "Release my comrades at once!"

"Heh heh heh, you talk tough," Bakura said, "but I'm afraid that's not going to save you from the fate I have in store for you. Take this!" He swung his sword, and a beam of light flew right toward Prince Atemu and struck him. Before he even realized it, excruciating pain coursed through his body. He started to hyperventilate.

"Big Brother, what's wrong?" Kisara asked worriedly, but then she let out a gasp of horror.

"Oh no!" Solomon said, "This can't be!"

"What can't be?" Mai shouted, before she too saw what's going on. Atemu's flesh was bubbling up on a few parts of his body. Then some bubbles floated up from where his feet were. Pain shot through him as it happened, and he dared to look at his arm. A cluster of bubbles soon detached from his forearm, his hand disappearing in the process. His eyes widened in horror.

"What's going on?!" Joey shouted.

"Oh my God!" Tea said, "It looks like Atemu is disintegrating!"

"He's worse than disintegrating!" Marik hollered in horror, "He's turning into sea foam!"

"Bakura, you monster!" Ishizu shouted with a glare. Bakura only let out a wicked laugh as Atemu dissolved further still.

"NO! My Lady--" Atemu gasped, before bubbles began to stream out of his mouth. Tea looked over the Great Claw with a menacing glare.

"SEIYARU!" commanded the princess, and the birdlike dragon pulled hard, breaking free from the chains and speeding toward her as a spiral of light.

"C'mon Obsidian!" Joey roared, "Let's make him pay!" The Red Eyes Black Dragon did not hesitate, and she too broke free into to merge with her master's armor.

"You won't get away with this!" Mai bellowed, as her Harpie's Pet Dragon followed in suit. Soon the three Dragon Knight Chosen were each enveloped in light, destroying the chains that held them. When the light faded, They were all floating there, with their dragons transformed into armor. Joey looked exactly like he did when he first merged with his dragon. For Tea, it was a modified version of her normal armor, with pink shoulder pads and breastplate, pink gauntlets and pink boot guards, and she wore a simple diadem with a rose quartz jewel on the forehead. For Mai, her dragon took the form of a plated armor made of clear crystal, much like what one of the Harpie Ladies might don.

"Ha, I was expecting you to merge with your dragons like that." Bakura taunted, "Which is why I'm going to introduce you to a little friend of mine!" A roar soon echoed in the hall, and as everyone looked on, out of the shadows came… a dragon with five heads, each head shown with one of five different colors: black, white, red, green and blue.

"No way! The Fiendish Five-Head?" Joey gasped in shock.

"Not just any Fiendish Five-Head," Bakura said, "**This** one is an avatar of Tiamat, just like in that legendary battle in ages past. And believe me, he's very angry at the defeat of his fellow avatar by the founders of Bahamut's Dragon Knights. But now, with my aid, he shall have his revenge on behalf of his goddess!" He points his finger at the Chosen. "Now, my Tiamat Avatar, ATTACK!" The five heads of the Avatar opened their mouth and unleashed a powerful breath weapon. The three Chosen barely had enough time to dodge the five-way attack, but Tea still got hit on the hip.

"Whoa, he's fast!" she muttered.

"Tea!" Joey shouted, before another attack hit him head on.

"Joey!" Mai exclaimed in horror.

"Damn," Joey growled, "he's even more powerful than the dragon we beat last time!" He lifted his long axe. "All right, if he's going to give us the big guns, then so are we! INFERNO FIRE BLAST!" Since he was underwater, his Inferno Fire Blast took the form of superheated steam, which was just as effective. It struck one of the heads, forcing it back. While it was recovering from the shock, though, another head came to its aid and counterattacked.

"Look out!" Mai shouted, shoving her love out of the way, and barely missing the blast herself.

Mana swam toward the dragon and shouted, "MYSTIC SCEPTER BLAST!" unleashing her magic upon him. It hit the Avatar head on, and for a moment, it grew limp. But to their dismay, the Avatar reared his five heads and let out a mighty roar. "Oh no, the magic has no affect!"

"HA HA HA HA! Do you really think your weak attempts are a match to a god like my Tiamat Avatar?" Bakura laughed. "You're nothing against his power!"

"Oh yeah?! Well maybe I can help!" shouted a familiar voice. The other Chosen looked behind them, as did the Deep Dweller Royals, and their eyes widened in surprise. Making his arrival, along with Azure and the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, was…

"Seto!" Kisara cried.

"Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, attack with NEUTRON BLAST!" The dragon eagerly obeyed, unleashing its breath weapon on the Tiamat Avatar. At the same time, though, three of the Avatar's heads unleashed their breath weapon. The beams all made impact with each other, and it lingered in a stalemate. Then his fourth head joined in, and it started pushing the Neutron Blast back a bit. "Azure!" Seto shouted, "Come to our aid!" Azure unleashed her breath weapon, the White Lightning Attack, pushing back the Avatar's beams and once more bringing a stalemate. "Where's Prince Atemu?!" Seto asked. He didn't have to wait long for the answer, because when he looked to the side, there he was, painfully dissolving into foam on the sea. The lower half of Atemu's body had disappeared, as did his arms. "What the heck?" Seto barked.

"Seto, Bakura just cast a spell on my brother!" Kisara exclaimed with pearly tears streaming down her eyes, "He's killing him by turning him into sea foam!"

"Damn it!" Seto cursed, "Mahaado, do something!"

"I can't!" Mahaado said in despair, "I tried to break the spell, but it canceled my magic! It's too strong, even for my power! There's nothing we can do to save him!"

"What?!" Joey gasped, "No, it can't be! Atemu, you can't die now!" At the same moment, the fifth head of the Tiamat Avatar unleashed his breath weapon, adding to its power and overwhelming Seto's Blue Eyes. Amidst Bakura's wicked laughter, the other watched in horror at the losing fight, and in sorrow as Atemu's body dissolved further into foam. The bubble quickly inched closer to his chest, closer to where his shoulders used to be. The whole time, Atemu was screaming, a mass of bubbles spewing out of his mouth.

When his body vanished further and the foam began to detach from his neck, Princess Tea couldn't bear it any longer. With tears unseen in the ocean, she let out an anguished cry, "ATEMU!!"

Then a miracle occurred! Slifer, seeing his master and friend in danger, flew toward him in high speed, his own injuries forgotten. In an instant, he became a swirling beam of red light, which struck the fading form of Prince Atemu. Before long, a bright light filled the room. Bakura stopped laughing and covered his eyes to block out the bright light. "What?!" he barked in rage. The others stared in astonishment as Atemu's body began to reappear within that light. They were even more amazed at what they saw when the light finally faded.

Atemu was floating as if the Great Claw's terrible spell had never been cast. But that's not the only thing that was amazing. His body was covered with armor reminiscent of the Blue Eyes Duel Armor that was granted to him on his first battle with Bakura, but it was red, and with larger wings just like Slifer. In fact, his armor even had Slifer's tail, and his crown took the shape of Slifer's face. Atemu opened his eyes, showing an aura of determination.

"Atemu, you're okay!" Ishizu gasped in elation.

"And… you've merged with Slifer!" Mai said in awe. At first, Atemu gave no reply, but lifted up his new sword, which also took the likeness of Slifer.

"SUMMON LIGHTNING!" Atemu shouted, and his sword unleashed a swirl of electricity. It was more than powerful enough to push back Tiamat's Avatar. So powerful that the Avatar slammed right into the wall.

"Impossible!" Bakura roared, "My sea foam spell, broken by a mere dragon?!"

Atemu smirked at his enemy, saying, "Sorry Bakura, but as it is revealed to me by Bahamut himself, Slifer is more than just a dragon; He's a god in his own right!"

"Slifer's a **god**?! No way!" Joey said in astonishment.

"Once again, I owe the Divine Dragon my life!" Atemu said, pointing his sword, "And so I will **not** let him down! The time has come Bakura; let the final battle begin!"

Note: So there you have it! The next chapter is part two of the battle! In case you don't already know, the Bakura in this story is Yami Bakura. Anyway, there's one more writer's block hurdle in this story and everything will go smoothly from there. Don't forget to read some of my new stories while you're at it! Until next time!


	24. Chapter 24

Note: It took me long enough to do it, but FINALLY! I managed to finish my latest chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid! I would like to thank all the people who reviewed me and gave me all the encoragement I needed to finally get an update! It was so hard to put this all together, but I did it!And now without further ado, here's part two of the ultimate battle against the Great Claw of Tiamat! Enjoy!

Chapter 24: The Final Battle, Part Two

Filled with Slifer's divine strength, Prince Atemu once again raised his sword. With a mighty swing, he cut the chains that held captive his grandfather and his three siblings. The now broken chains clattered to the floor, setting free the Deep Dweller Royals. "Thanks Bro!" Marik said, rubbing his wrist.

"We can thank him later." Ishizu said, glaring at Bakura, "Right now we've got some business to take care of." Marik also glared at the Great Claw and took out his spear.

"You are all fools!" Bakura barked at the group, "You may have pushed back my Avatar of Tiamat, but I have one more trick of my sleeve, all with Tiamat's blessing! AVATAR OF TIAMAT, JOIN WITH ME TO BECOME ONE!" Tiamat's Avatar immediately became a streak of light, glowing in five colors, then surrounded the Great Claw. There was a flash, and when it finally faded, his godly dragon had become divine armor. The boots had black plates, with the front calves shaped like a black dragon. His armbands likely took the scaled shape of a white dragon. The mighty breastplate seemed formed from the snarling face of a blue dragon, and likewise the shoulder armor was like a pair of green dragon heads. The helm on Bakura's head was the most striking of all, for it took the shape of a red dragon's head. The metal wings spread outward, and the Great Claw unsheathed his sword. "And now, Dragon Knights, PREPARE TO DIE!" And with that he lunged toward Atemu, and the swords slammed together with such an impact that the water pushed some of the other Dragon Knights aside, at least for a moment.

"C'mon everyone!" Princess Tea shouted as she raised her spear, "We've got to help Atemu!"

"Right!" Joey said, "Let's go!" And with a great battle cry, he swung his long axe right towards Bakura. The Great Claw saw this, and blocked the attack with his own sword. Now three different steels are clashing together. Eventually though, Bakura pushed the two knights away.

"Is that the best you can do?" he taunted. He once again raised his sword and was about to make his next attack when suddenly…

"RAZOR FIRE BLAST!" Tea shouted in command, and shards of light flew from her spear toward the enemy. Realizing that he had let down his guard, he raised his arm to block the attack. But it was no good. The blast made a direct hit. Since the Avatar of Tiamat had become his armor, he wasn't thoroughly hurt. He recovered from the shock and glared at the princess.

"Why you—NOW YOU REALLY MADE ME ANGRY!" he bellowed, and pointed his sword towards her. "TAKE THIS!" Violet lightning shot out of the sword right towards her, faster that she could react.

"TEA!" screamed Atemu, and he swam as fast as he could. Just in time, he pushed his Lady out of the way, taking the hit upon himself. Slifer's divine power was able to shield him from the blast, but the lightning still caused some damage.

"ATEMU!" cried Mahaado and Mana in horror over seeing their friend hurt.

"Heh heh heh, chivalrous as always." Bakura chuckled wickedly as the Prince struggled to stand. Atemu simply let out a grunt in anger.

"You haven't taken me down yet, Bakura. It's not over!" He growled, "This time I am not hindered by silence!"

"Then prepare to be silenced! AGAIN!" Bellowed the Great Claw, preparing yet another attack. But Prince Atemu was ready.

"Marik! It's your turn to attack!"

"You got it Bro!" Marik exclaimed, swimming in top speed with his fins fanning out, ready to sting. "C'mon Gramps! Ishizu! Kisara! Let's teach him not to mess with the Deep Dwellers!"

"Right!" the other three royals, spreading their lionfish fins.

With a loud, "Hiyee-YA!" Kisara made the first strike, stinging the Great Claw on the side of his stomach. Then Marik took his turn, striking his enemy on the shoulder with his venomous fins, and using his spear to leave a gash on his ribs. Ishizu struck the thigh, and finally Solomon delivered a blow on the back. All the while, Bakura winced in pain. The four Deep Dwellers swam away to view their handiwork. The Great Claw was bending down, clutching his stomach. "He's weakened!" Kisara shouted, "Mahaado, Mana! Finish him off!"

"I'll help!" Mai announced, and she swung her rapier in a fancy way as the two magicians charged up their attack.

"CHAOS SCEPTER BLAST!" Shouted Mahaado.

"MYSTIC SCEPTER BLAST! Commanded Mana, and in an instant, two balls of magical energy shot out of each of the scepters. Mai raised her rapier and let the magic combine on her blade.

"Take this!" Mai shouted and she swung her rapier downward, launching the magic as it took the shape of a cutting blade. Imagine their utter shock when Bakura suddenly looked up at them with the wide eyes and grin of a maniac. Then he swung his own sword—with no sign of any weakness—and sliced the magical energy to bits! "What?!" Mai gasped.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Nice try Dragon Knights!" Bakura laughed, "With Tiamat's Avatar as my armor, you can't poison me that easily!"

"No way! Our venom has no effect?!" Kisara cried as the rest of her family stared in shock.

"Now feel the wrath of my FIVE HEAD FIREBALL!" The Great Claw bellowed, and five balls of glowing energy materialized and shot right into the Deep Dwellers. They screamed as the attack struck them hard.

"NO!" Atemu shouted, and he glared at his enemy. "You won't get away with this Bakura!" Atemu roared. Again he lunges himself at Bakura, in spite of the pain caused by the previous attack. Once again, steel clashed against steel as the divine energies of the dragon gods fueled the strength of their combatants.

The whole time, Seto watched. _All the Dragon Knight Champions and the royal Deep Dwellers are fighting to save the ocean and the land, even Kisara,_ he thought, _But ever since that Tiamat scum had merged with her unholy Avatar, I couldn't do anything… I've never felt so helpless in my entire life! There must be something I can do. Anything!_ As if they had read his mind, Azure lowered her neck and let out a soft roar of encouragement. The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon joined her in lifting up its master's heart. Seto looked over at his dragon friend in astonishment. Then he gave a nod. "You're right Azure. There **is** something I can do." Immediately, he swam towards his foe and raised his sword, ready to give Prince Atemu his aid. Bakura was taken aback by the risky assault of a nearly powerless blue eyed knight, and he channeled his own sword with his dark magic and slammed it against the silvery white blade. Before he even realized it, Seto felt the shot of unholy electricity surrounding his body. His body convulsed in pain, and he screamed as the electricity shot him back out of range.

"You are getting to be an even bigger pest that I could imagine, Seto Kaiba." Bakura growled, "So I think it's best that I let the sea do what it does best!" No sooner did he said those words that the blue eyed knight felt his breath hitch. As he clutched his throat, he felt the webbing detaching from his fingers—and that his gills were shrinking. The effect of the magic water lily was canceled!

"You—BASTARD!" Seto choked with rage.

"Seto!" Kisara cried in horror.

"Oh no!" Tea exclaimed.

"Blue Eyes—Ultimate Dragon!" Seto commanded, even as the gills started to disappear. "Attack with—NEUTRON BLAST!" The dragon did not hesitate. It unleashed it powerful breath weapon, striking Bakura head on. He slammed into a wall, but when the dust cleared, he was charging like a bull, murder in his eyes. "Azure!" Seto shouted, "Atta--" Unfortunately, it was at that moment the spell was broken completely, and his gills were gone in a flash. _No! Not now!_ he thought as he held his breath. With his command canceled, Azure could do nothing as the Great Claw struck her master and friend. A cloud of blood burst from his stomach, and he coughed up a mix of blood and bubbles.

"Seto!" Atemu exclaimed.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! You really have fallen out of your god's favor, haven't you?" Bakura laughed.

"That's enough Bakura!" Atemu roared in anger, "It's me you want, remember?!"

"Oh that's right!" the Great Claw replied mockingly. "Then I suppose I'll let this **disgrace** of a Dragon Knight drown while I destroy you with my sword—powered by the grace of Tiamat herself!" The sword he was holding began to glow with an unholy might even more powerful than before. Prince Atemu raised his own sword, channeling it with Slifer's divine strength before lunging once more to attack his enemy. However, this time, Bakura was gaining the upper hand. When the swords clashed, the blasphemous energy was enough to slash the Dragon Knight of Exalted Action on several parts of his body, releasing a cloud of blood as he screamed in pain. And to the horror of the onlookers the assault didn't stop there.

"Hang in there, Buddy!" Joey hollered and raised his long axe. "INFERNO FIRE BLAST!" The ball of scalding steam made it way to the Great Claw, but he spun around and struck it with his unholy sword, sending the attack right back at the sandy blonde. With a scream Joey was sent slamming into a wall, a cloud of blood and small bits of charred flesh trailing behind him. Seto tried to swim over to help his comrades in arms but found it difficult to do so due to his grievous wounds. And by now he couldn't hold his breath any longer, and the water began to fill his lungs. He was drowning.

_Maybe Bakura was right. Maybe I am a disgrace…_ Seto thought sadly, _I tried to help, but I failed everyone… My one chance of atonement and I blew it. Divine Dragon, forgive me…_ He closed his eyes, waiting for the jaws of death to take him.

Kisara couldn't bear the torment of her beloved any longer. "Seto!" she cried, grabbing the attention of the blue-eyed knight. "No matter what happens to you, please don't give up! I know you can help us defeat Bakura, I know you can! Because… I love you Seto! I LOVE YOU!"

The blue-eyed knight couldn't believe what he just heard. But his heart leaped with joy as if to confirm that it was true. His beloved white mermaid, the youngest Princess of the Deep Dwellers, actually loves him back! And no sooner did he hear this confession than the fires of hope began to rekindle within him and grow into a bright flame. He glared with determination. _I __**won't**__ give up! I'll either defeat the Great Scum of Tiamat or die trying! Kisara is counting on me!_

Then something unexpected happened. The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon started to glow with a white holy light. The light grew brighter and brighter until it obscured it form. Then the light surged toward the drowning Seto and surrounded him with energy and power. In an instant, he could feel that he was able to breathe again, and his wounds were healing just as quickly. But that wasn't the only thing that was happening to him. Within the blinding light, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon started changing its shape… something that Seto had experienced before, with Azure!

Meanwhile, Atemu was slammed into the ground, weakened by the Great Claw's assaults. An equally wounded Tea fell by his side. "Just face it 'Dragon Knights'! You lose!" Bakura laughed, "And now to finish you off!" He raised his sword and the unholy power surged to the maximum in his blade.

"WHITE LIGHTNING ATTACK!" Seto's voice suddenly roared, and in a flash a beam of blue-white lightning struck the Great Claw in full force, slamming him into a wall for once!

"What just happened?!" Joey exclaimed.

Atemu looked up to find the source of the attack and gasped. "Look everyone! It's Seto!" And everyone did look… the sight that met their eyes was breathtaking. The armor of the blue eyed knight appeared just like before, but it was glowing with incredible power. The shoulder plates each took the shape of a head from his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and on his head was an open helm that was also shaped like the head of that dragon. His boots were studded with dragon claws and metallic blue-white wings spread from his back. It did not take long for the other Dragon Knight Champions and the royal Deep Dwellers to figure out what happened.

Seto Kaiba had merged with his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!

Bakura stared at the blue eyed knight in an angry sort of shock. "This can't be! Impossible!!" Seto said nothing as he mounted Azure, raising his sword.

"Azure," he commanded, "It is time to attack!" Azure roared in determination.

Bakura just growled and raised his own sword, channeling its unholy energy once again. "FIVE HEAD FIREBALL!!" was his command as the energy surged toward the blue eyed knight and struck him. But to the amazement of his allies Seto and his Blue Eyes White Dragon were still standing! No wounds, no injuries, nothing!

"Incredible!" Ishizu gasped, "He survived that devastating assault without a scratch!"

"Bahamut must be protecting him!" Kisara exclaimed with a smile, "Seto's found his redemption!"

Needless to say, the Great Claw of Tiamat was shocked at this turn of events. "No! How come I'm the one losing my touch?!"

"Your tyranny ends now Great Claw!" Seto roared. "We will not be laid low by your wicked schemes. Fellow Champions! The time has come to fulfill our destiny!"

Atemu was the first to rise up his determination renewed itself. "Seto is right." He replied, "Let us combine our strength so that we can smite this monster!"

Princess Tea nodded. "Yeah!" she stated, and she too rose up. Joey and Mai rose soon after, and the sandy blonde raised his long axe high above his head. Mahaado and Mana also raised their staffs; though battered and bruised, they were more than ready to aid their allies.

"Let's do this!" Mahaado exclaimed, "You know what to do Mana!"

"Uh-HUH!" Mana squealed and she crossed her staff with that of her tutor and lover. The energies of their magic pulsed like never before.

"C'mon Mai, let's follow their example!" Joey shouted.

"Got it!" Mai responded, thrusting her rapier above her head and letting the power of her dragon flow into her blade. The sandy blonde channeled the power of his Red Eyes in the same manner, and his long axe began to glow.

"Don't forget about me guys!' Tea exclaimed, raising her spear, letting the power of Seiyaru wrap itself right to its very tip. At the same time, Azure opened her mouth, ready to unleash her breath weapon.

"Your Majesty," Seto shouted, "you're the leader here, give us the command!" He then raised his sword, summoning the Neutron Blast of his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Prince Atemu nodded, and lifted his own sword high above his head. Slifer's divine power shot from the blade. "Go, Dragon Knights!"

In one voice, the five Champions and the two Magicians exclaimed with all their might, "SHINING PLATINUM BLAST!" At that instant, the magical energies shot from the weapons and staves, and Azure unleashed her fury. They combined into one powerful sphere of divine azure colored energy and struck the Great Claw of Tiamat in full force! Bakura screamed in agony as his armor shattered into thousands of small pieces, saturating the surrounding water with a cloud of his own blood. He lost his powers soon after, and bubbles exited his mouth as his lungs filled with seawater.

"Now to finish you off! From darkness you came, so to darkness you shall return!" Seto roared and he swam toward Bakura. In one stroke, the blue-eyed Dragon Knight plunged his sword deep into the Great Claw's heart.

Again Bakura screamed as the blade was ripped from his body. With the killing blow dealt, all the dragons returned to their original forms. Yet even with his dying breath, the Great Claw's rage was ever so present. "Damn you! To think I lost-- to the likes of you and your ex-merman ally!" he hissed, "So be it then! If I'm going down, I'm going to take you with me!" And as he sank into the water and his wicked life ebbed away, two large sea snakes the size of boa constrictors burst from his chest. They were white snakes, with a black spiral pattern covering its long body. And as the eyes have pointed out, they were both poisonous. Atemu's eyes widened in horror as he recognized the serpents.

"Spiral sea snakes!" he shouted, mounting Slifer. "Get away! now!" Solomon, understanding the danger, grabbed hold of Ishizu and Marik and swam away. Most of the other adventurers began to flee as well, mounting their dragons to escape, for the Dragon Bone tower was beginning to collapse. Kisara, however, hesitated. Right at that moment, the first spiral sea snake suddenly lunged toward the Prince. Atemu raised his arm to defend his face and the serpent bit him right on the forearm! He screamed in pain.

"Atemu!" Seto shouted, and sliced the sea snake in two, unaware that the other sea snake was making its quick and deadly approach!

"Seto! Watch out!" Kisara exclaimed, and in a flash, she pushed her beloved out of the way.

As Seto and Atemu watched in horror, time seemed to slow down as the spiral sea snake's deadly fangs sank into Kisara's shimmering white tail. A cloud of blood burst through the wound and Kisara emitted a scream loud enough to pierce the ears of her onlookers.

"NO!" Atemu hollered, and immediately tore the snake from his sister. Even as he killed the snake, he was surprised that he still had his original strength even though he was bitten himself. Kisara, on the other hand, began to feel woozy and she slowly sank toward the floor.

At first, Seto stared in utter disbelief at what had transpired. Then with unseen tears stinging his eyes, he screamed. "KISARA!!!" In a flash he swam after his beloved and took her up bridal style in his arms. The blue eyes white mermaid stared up at her knight.

"Seto…" she whispered, "My special someone…" Her grip suddenly loosened and a silvery object slid out of her webbed hand. Quickly, Seto grabbed it before it could sink down to the ground and took a good look at it. It was the Blue Eyes White Dragon brooch, which she had kept safely in her person up until this very moment.

"C'mon Seto!" Atemu shouted, "We need to go, now!" Immediately the blue eyed knight swam toward Azure and mounted her, all while carrying his love. Then they were off as the tower crumbled even further.

"Hang in there Kisara!" Seto tried to reassure, "Please, be strong! Don't die on me!" Yet even as he and Atemu managed to meet up with their companions, he felt an intense pain in his heart. And it was much stronger than any pain he ever felt before.

Note: NOOO! Kisara got poisoned! What exactly is that spiral sea snake that bit her? And why is Atemu not feeling the effects? The answers lie in the next chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid! I'm so sorry it took so long, and thank you for not giving up on me! Perhaps now things for this story will go smoothly. Until Next Time!


	25. Chapter 25

Note: Whew! I said this before and will say it again: It's not easy to work on multiple fanfiction at the same time. Especially since there's so many other things to do with them. Good thing is I finally got the latest chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid done! Last time, Kisara was poisoned by some spiral sea snakes. How will Seto save her? Read and find out!

Chapter 25: If It Means I Can Be With My Lady

The whole earth seemed to tremble, even under the sea, as the Dragon Bone Tower collapsed to the ocean floor and filled the surrounding waters with clouds of sand. But the Dragon Knight Champions, the royal Deep Dwellers and the Dolphin Folk mages escaped the destruction of their foe's stronghold, and sped upward toward the surface. Indeed everyone was waiting for their return from above. Tristan was the first to notice the swelling of the surrounding water. "Hey look!" he exclaimed.

"It's not the Dragon Bone Tower, is it?" Duke asked. Right at that moment, Ruby and Great White resurfaced.

"The Dragon Bone Tower has been destroyed!" Ruby confirmed.

"And the Dragon Knight Champions are on their way!" Affirmed Great White.

"Great White, you better move aside or you'll be flung into the air!" Ruby warned. Indeed the swelling got much bigger, ready to toss the man-shark like a toy. Realizing that the victors are directly under him, he swam like a maniac to avoid a spectacular spill. In an instant the heroes burst through the water.

"THAR THEY BLOW!" Mako exclaimed in excitement from atop his Fortress Whale. All at once, all who took part in the war cheered in triumph, now knowing that they had emerged victorious. Tristan and Duke immediately urged their dragons to fly to their friends.

"Your Highnesses!" Duke shouted as they made their approach, "You've done it! You won!"

"Wait!" Tristan noted, his smile fading into concern, "Something's not right." He jumped off his Thunder Dragon to meet his friend. "Atemu, why the long face? You and the others have kicked Bakura's butt down there! You should be celebrating."

Prince Atemu bowed his head in sorrow. "It's true Tristan, we may have defeated the Great Claw of Tiamat… but we might soon have our greatest casualty." When he saw the confusion in the eyes of Tristan and Duke, he simply turned his head toward where Seto was. The two of them gasped in horror at what they saw.

Cradled limply in Seto's arms was the youngest Deep Dweller royal, already feeling the effects of the poison.

* * *

The light of the full moon painted the sea with its silvery light, but at the beach by Castle Aria there was no time to admire its beauty. Prince Atemu, his fiancée Princess Tea, and all their other friends stood worried as they waited for the arrival of Bahamut's High Priest. All the while Kisara slipped in and out of consciousness, and her breathing became more strained as the venom began to overwhelm her. "Hang in there." Seto tried desperately to reassure as he splashed seawater upon his beloved, "Shadi is coming soon."

Mokuba looked down at the white mermaid in utter disbelief. "She'll make it, won't she Big Brother?" he asked not for the first time since they arrived at the beach after the war. Again, Seto gave no answer. The Dolphin Folk mages, who had once more assumed their human forms, could do nothing but watch the sad scene before them. They had no healing magic that can remove any sort of poison, so it was no wonder that they were feeling so helpless.

"I can't believe something like this could happen!" Mako gasped.

"None of us could." Admitted Solomon, his eyes betraying his fear.

"Damn it! Where is he?" exclaimed Marik, who was well on the verge of tears. "My younger sister is dying, for crying out loud!"

"Calm down Marik." Ishizu stated, "Shadi will be here any minute." But still, even she couldn't hide her tears. As powerful as it was, not even her own healing magic can help to neutralize the venom of the spiral sea snake… it just wasn't powerful enough.

"Joey!" called a voice down the path. The sandy blonde turned in the direction of the voice.

"Serenity!" he exclaimed. Indeed, his little sister was rushing to the beach. Not far away from her were the four cute monsters, Kuriboh, Thunder Kid, Happy Lover and Scorch. And right behind them was the High Priest of Bahamut.

"We got him as quickly as we can!" Serenity replied hurriedly. "I only hope it's not too late!"

"Shadi!" King Akunumkanon cried, as the High Priest entered the beach "Thank the gods you're here!"

"Please! You must help our daughter." the Queen sobbed, "If anyone can save her, surely you could!"

"Right." Shadi replied kneeling toward the white mermaid. "Let's have a look." Gently he lifted Kisara's head and examined her, looking down her throat and checking her pallor. "This is not good. I heard she was poisoned during the battle, but to see her like this… Seto, can you tell me exactly what happened?"

Seto swallowed hard. "Right after we defeated the Great Claw Bakura, he summoned a pair of spiral sea snakes with his dying breath. Kisara was bitten by one of them…"

Shadi stared in disbelief, and then grew sad. The news was not good. "A spiral sea snake… this is much worse than I thought. These sea snakes are very rare, so much so that there is no medicine to counter their venom."

"But you have the power to remove the venom and save her… don't you?" Atemu asked.

"… I'm afraid not." Shadi answered sorrowfully. "I have many mundane and magical cures to remove many kinds of poison… but spiral sea snake venom is too strong a poison to be overcome by any of them. Sadly, for that reason… Princess Kisara has only one night to live. When the sun rises to its full height tomorrow morning, she will draw her last breath."

The words were like a knife to everyone who heard them. Mokuba gasped in shock and burst into tears. Immediately afterwards, the cute monsters started bawling in grief. In fact, not a single eye was dry. Tea buried her face into her beloved fiancée's chest. Atemu looked ready to break down at any moment. Joey, Tristan, and Duke all stared in dismay and Mai covered her mouth with her hands. Likewise Serenity covered her face, unable to bear the heartache. Mako just bowed his head in sorrow letting the tears fall down his cheeks. Even Ruby and Great White cried. The royal Deep Dwellers and the Dolphin Folk mages were no less affected. The queen clutched on to her husband's shoulders, as if she had suddenly grown weak herself. The very thought of losing their youngest daughter was too much for her to bear. Ishizu and Marik hugged their grandfather as tightly as they could, hoping that it was all just a nightmare. They all knew too well that it was not.

But out of all those present, it was Seto who was struck the hardest. The bad news was like a knife to him as well—a knife that stabbed him mercilessly into his heart. The pain was so strong, he felt as if it would kill him. "No! It… it can't be! Shadi, tell me it's not true!"

"I am very sorry." Shadi replied sadly, "There is nothing I can do."

"NO! I WON'T ACCEPT IT!" Seto exclaimed, the tears steaming down his eyes. "KISARA CAN'T DIE NOW! I NEVER EVEN GOT A CHANCE!" All at once the blue eyed knight rose to his feet and ran, his sobs echoing in the night air. Everyone stared as he disappeared around the side of a cliff.

"Seto…" Mokuba murmured.

"Son?" Akunumkanon stated, grabbing the Prince's attention.

"What is it Father?" Atemu asked.

"Please go to him. He needs you."

Atemu nodded, and broke the hug with his beloved. Then he too broke into a sprint, intending to follow his former rival.

* * *

Seto sat down with his back on a rocky wall facing the ocean. He bowed his head and continued to cry. _It can't be happening!_ He thought, _It just can't be happening! There's no way!_ But he knew deep down that it was true. His special someone was going to die. It was too much for him to bear. At that moment, Prince Atemu came around the corner.

"Seto?" he stated. The blue eyed knight did not answer. The Prince stepped toward him and sat down. "I know you are hurting right now. I understand. Ever since we were small, I was always there to protect my sister from the dangers of the sea." He bowed his head in sorrow. "For once, I have failed to do just that. Now it will haunt me for the rest of my life."

Seto faced his comrade in arms. "Atemu… I remember what you told me way back when. About matters of the heart."

**"When a situation occurs when you are about to lose your special someone, compare the heartbreak you will feel for her in contrast to the heartbreak you felt for Tea."**

"I've thought about those words since your sister got bitten. Now that I made the comparison, I can finally see the difference. With Tea, the heartbreak was nothing more than a dull throb. I was able to move on quite easily after that. But with Kisara…" Seto broke down into uncontrollable sobs. "… The pain in my heart is unbearable! With my special someone on the brink of death, it feels as if I were dying too!"

"So you understand now," Atemu stated, "that your love for Kisara is true." Seto nodded. The Prince put a hand on the grieving knight's shoulder. "Then you have every reason to cry. The more you love someone, the harder it is to say goodbye." For a few moments, no more words were said as they both let their tears flow down. Finally, Atemu asked, "Would you like to be alone for a while?"

"Please." Seto answered. So Atemu stood up and stepped away. Just before he went behind the corner, Seto stopped him. "Wait! I was wondering. A spiral sea snake bit you too. Why aren't you affected by the venom like your sister?"

"To be honest, I don't really know." Atemu admitted, "Maybe it's because Slifer was protecting me with his divine power. Or maybe… it's because I'm no longer a merman." Suddenly a familiar roar of four dragons echoed ahead. Out came Seto's four Blue Eyes White Dragons. Azure, Azrael, Djibril and Ibris emitted a low growl in sympathy. "Oh! By the way, I had your dragon friends come so they will keep you company."

"Thank you." Seto simply replied. And with that, the Prince returned to his friends, leaving Seto with his four dragons to mourn. The five of them watched the waves crash onto the beach. The blue eyed knight thought of her special someone every time the waves receded. It wasn't long though, before something washed ashore. Azure was the first to see it and she immediately let out a short roar. "What it is Azure?" Seto asked in a melancholy tone. The dragon roared again and his eyes then widened when he saw what was on the beach. He approached the object and picked it up to get a closer look. It was an oyster, with its shell closed tightly. He was surprised. How did this oyster manage to find its way here? He sighed. "It doesn't matter… an oyster can never bring back Kisara." Still, he couldn't help but feel curious as to what was inside. He took out his dagger and stuck the blade between the shells. Slowly, the shells pried apart. Finally he opened it to see what was inside. His eyes widened in astonishment.

Inside at the very center was the one thing he had been looking for: a lavender pearl!

"A-Azure! Azrael! Djibril! Ibris, look!" Seto gasped in excitement, "There it is! The lavender pearl I was looking for! Now Pegasus can help me! Now I can finally become a Deep Dweller!" But then he stopped. Once more the image of Kisara filled his head. She was the main reason why he wanted to be a Deep Dweller in the first place. And now she was going to die. "What am I thinking? Without Kisara, there's no point in being a Deep Dweller." Suddenly it dawned on him. All at once, the fires of hope lit up once again in his heart. He immediately mounted Azure. "Let's go my Blue Eyes! Back to ocean! The healers don't have anything to help my beloved—but maybe Pegasus might!"

* * *

The lights that decorated the undersea cave leading to the curiosity shop served as a beacon of hope for the blue eyed knight and his four Blue Eyes White Dragons, all of whom were swimming as fast as they could. And thanks to the grace of Bahamut, he had no need for the magic water lily to help him breathe underwater. Upon their arrival, the Sea Mage's polyps began to stretch out towards them at the entrance, attempting to grab them. "Pegasus!" exclaimed Seto, raising his sword as a threat to those polyps, "Are you in here? I need your help!"

Sure enough, the eel merman swam up from the shadows, and the polyps shrank down further as if sensing their master, thus releasing Seto and his dragons. "Ah Kaiba Boy!" Pegasus replied cheerfully, "I've been expecting you! And oh look! You've finally found the lavender pearl I wanted!" Seto swam off Azure's back and held out the pearl in question.

"Yeah, yeah, it took me long enough to get it." he muttered, "Now let's get down to business already!"

"Of course." The Sea Mage replied, taking the pearl and adding it to his display.

"And by the way, about my wanting to be a merman-" Seto began.

"I know." Pegasus interrupted, his voice growing serious. And even his smile was absent from his face. "It's about Princess Kisara, is it not? You don't have to tell me what happened to her… I already know. I knew something terrible was bound to unfold upon that sweet princess, with those spiral sea snakes… and when sunrise comes, death will come for her. Just as it came for my own beloved."

"And that's why I seek your aid Pegasus, and not for me to become a Deep Dweller. I believe that you have something that will be able to save her! So please, help me! As much as I hate to admit it, you're the only chance I have left!"

At first, the Sea Mage gave no reply. Then he smiled confidently and chuckled. "You've come to the right merman! I know just the thing that can save your Lady!"

"You do?" Seto gasped, "Well then get on with it! We don't have much time!"

"Not so fast Kaiba Boy! It's not for free, even for you." Pegasus added, "Normally, it would run to an even thousand pearls. But on the account I'm such a pushover, I'll give you an alternative price, just as I did with Atemu Boy."

"And what's that alternative price?" Seto asked.

"Something that is truly precious in your eyes, something that you have for many years…" he paused in suspense and looked beyond Seto's shoulder. "…Something with one eye as blue as the deep ocean, and the other eye… Mother of Pearl." Seto slowly turned around to look at his favorite Blue Eyes White Dragon. She roared as if to confirm the eel merman's words.

"Azure…? You want… Azure?"

"That's right Kaiba Boy." Pegasus answered, "She **is** your dearest companion, is she not?"

"You… you must be crazy to think I would give Azure up to you!" Seto protested.

"Well, seeing as how much you love that Blue Eyes, it's no surprise you won't give her up easily." Pegasus once more became stern. "But seriously, you might want to consider this. Who do you love more?" There was a look of confusion written on Seto's face. "There's the lovely mermaid princess, who is dying from a very potent venom… and there's your precious Blue Eyes White Dragon, named as the payment for the cure. You are about to lose one of them this night. Which of these treasures are worth keeping? Which of them are worth saving?"

Apparently, Azure gave a roar to her friend and swam by the side of the Sea Mage. Then she stared intently at the blue eyed knight. Seto couldn't believe it. "Azure… you really want to go through with this? For her?" The Blue Eyes nodded. It was then that Seto closed his eyes, and shed unseen tears as Kisara's words echoed in his mind.

"If you really love her, are you willing to make a tremendous personal sacrifice at any time so that both of you would be happy?"

"A tremendous personal sacrifice… for the sake of true love…! I finally understand what it means! Now I really know… how much Kisara means to me!" Seto faced the Sea Mage before him, his lips trembling. Azure had already made her decision, and that was all he needed to make his. "Pegasus… I accept the deal! Take Azure! If it means I can be with my Lady, take her! I WILL NOT LET KISARA DIE!"

"Splendid!" Pegasus praised, "Now let's get this set up now shall we?" And with that, he sped to his natural cauldron and began to mix the ingredients. As they watched, Seto turned toward Azure. He stared deep into her eyes, realizing that it was probably for the last time. Azure growled in reassurance. "Azure. You love Kisara just as much as I do, don't you." Seto muttered, and before he knew it he embraced his dearest friend and cried. "I-I'm going to miss you! I promise… I'll take care of my Lady for you. I'll take care of Kisara… for both of us!" Both he and his dragon savored the moment for as long as they could. Then they parted and Azure swam to Pegasus, who had just added his final ingredient: his own blood. The potion was finished. He took the clear shining liquid in a glass bottle and gave it to the blue eyed knight. "There you go Kaiba Boy. And since I've polished up my skills on this batch there won't be as many unpleasant side effects as before. Now listen carefully, she must drink this potion before the sun rises to its full height from the horizon. If she doesn't, she will surely die! Now hurry! Time's a wasting!"

Seto nodded in determination, and quickly mounted Azrael. "You heard him! Quickly! To the surface!" And with that, the three Blue Eyes White Dragons sped out of the curiosity shop toward the surface. All the while, Azure let out a low roar to say her final goodbye.

"Ah, don't you worry dear Azure." Pegasus reassured, "You and Kaiba Boy will meet again someday."

* * *

Back in the Realm Above, the colors of the sunrise loomed over the horizon. For everyone present on the beach, it was the moment they have been dreading. Even as they watched, Kisara's scales were drying up at an alarming rate, and they were becoming rough under Shadi's hands. And it was becoming a struggle just for her to take a single breath. Soon the morning will come, and the Blue Eyes White Mermaid will slip away from life to death. Not a single eye was dry. Suddenly, Mokuba heard something in the distance. He looked up and sped toward the crashing waves. His eyes widened in surprise. "Guys! Look over here!" Astonished at the tone of the boy's voice, the whole crowd looked beyond the shore. There, in the distance, three Blue Eyes White Dragons rose out of the ocean and were now flying towards them. And on the back of one of those dragons was a certain blue eyed knight.

"It's Seto! Why is he over there?" Mai gasped.

"Hey! Hold on!" Tristan stated, "Something's not right here! There's only three Blue Eyes! Where's the fourth?" There was no time for a discussion though as all three dragons made their landing on the beach. Immediately Seto leaped off Azrael.

"Kaiba! Where in the world have you been?" Tea asked.

"No time for questions Princess! Where's Kisara? She's not dead yet, is she?"

Upon hearing her name, Kisara opened her heavy eyes. "Seto…? Is that… you?"

"Yes, it's me!" Seto replied, once more taking her into his arm. "Happy Lover! I'm going to need your help!" The cute little monster squeaked in confusion. "When I give the signal, you work your healing magic! Got it?" Happy Lover looked at Kuriboh and the little monster nodded to his friend in encouragement. So he flew over just as Seto took out the bottle.

"Hey, what's that?" Joey asked.

To which Seto replied, "The one thing that can save her!" He uncorked the bottle. "All right Kisara, I want you to drink this." Gently, he lifted the rim of the bottle to her lips, and when she began to drink, she grimaced. "Easy! I know it tastes bad, but don't spit it out. I won't let you die!"

Atemu got a good look at the potion that his little sister was drinking. "That potion looks awfully familiar…" Suddenly he let out a gasp of shock. "Wait! Can this be?" Right at that moment, a certain memory returned to his mind… the memory of his gruesome and painful transformation.

"What is it Atemu?" Tea asked in concern.

"Yeah, what's up?" Joey asked likewise.

"That potion my sister is drinking!" the Prince exclaimed, "That's the same potion that made me human in the first place!" He had just barely finished his sentence when his baby sister had consumed the very last drop of the potion. The blue eyed knight quickly wrapped his arms around her.

"Now hold on!" Seto instructed, "And whatever you do, DO NOT LET GO!" Kisara's eyes shot open and she gasped. Soon her breathing became much faster in hyperventilation. Everyone stared in shock as her tail began to flail about—them suddenly grow rigid and bend in several places with an agonizing crack.

"Get back! NOW!" Atemu exclaimed, dragging his friends away to safety. Good thing too, because the scales of Kisara's body were popping out like porcupine quills. It was not long before she was lying in a pool of her own blood.

"What's going on with my little sister?" Marik shouted.

"The same thing that happened to your big brother!" Mahaado answered. Soon, the webbing and the fins began to snap from her hands and arms and even her tail. The moment the tail stretched apart and ripped neatly in two, the Deep Dweller mermaid princess screamed in agony. Tristan felt sick to his stomach watching the transformation unfold.

"DON'T LET GO!" shouted the blue eyed knight. Even with his armor, his body was crisscrossed with several cuts inflicted by the scales of his beloved. His blood mingled with hers on the beach, staining even the water around it. Then finally, the magic began to wind down, as her finned ears curled back and became round and her head fins split into several soft strands. The fins on her back broke away into a limp heap just as the last of her scales popped away. Remarkably, there were no wounds upon her body in spite of the blood; it was completely unharmed by the dramatic change. By then, her gills had disappeared completely. "NOW HAPPY LOVER!" Seto commanded, and instantly, the cute little monster flew toward the couple. Using all his power, Happy Lover shot his healing beam over them.

By the time the sun rose to its full height above the horizon, it was over. Atemu, Tea and all their friends stepped toward the lovers. Mokuba couldn't help but gasp in astonishment. In fact everyone was amazed. Seto was panting with exhaustion over the effort of holding his true love steady. As for Kisara… she was equally exhausted, but she was still alive! But there was something else. In the place of azure-white scales, she had smooth flawless cream-colored skin. It was extremely pale, but it was obvious that it was a healthy shade, if not beautiful. As for her shimmering tail… it was gone! And in its place… a pair of long slender legs, the prettiest legs the whole group had ever seen. Duke had a nosebleed right on the spot. After all Kisara **was** naked.

But more significantly, she had become the same thing that her eldest brother was now: a human.

Note: Now that's what I call a twist! Either way, Kisara was saved! But now comes the hard part for Seto: confessing his love for her. The story is almost finished! In the next chapter, get ready for some sweet romance... and a little miracle on the side. Until next time!


	26. Chapter 26

Note: FINALLY! After such a long time, I finally finished this chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid! Sorry it took so long to get it up, I've been doing a lot of stuff at once. Writing multiple fanfictions are hard work. It's not easy to think up the exact details of this chapter; sometimes I have a particularly bad case of writer's block, and my muses tend to be easily distracted. I sometimes take a break from writing as a result. But in the end, all those creative juices just come gushing in. I want to thank all of you for giving me those great reviews. They're all the encouragement I need to get back into this project. So without further delay, enjoy the story!

Chapter 26: Love's Confession and Life's Miracle

Later that morning, the now human Kisara was immediately taken into Castle Aria. She had fallen into a deep slumber after her ordeal at the beach, so it was hard work to wash her clean and lay her in the same bed that Atemu laid upon on his first day as a human. Atemu watched his baby sister from the doorway, along with Seto, Tea and Shadi. The former mermaid looked so peaceful in her sleep, her breathing slow and steady. "Of course!" Shadi mused. "I never thought of this before! The reason that there is no antidote for spiral sea snake venom is because humans are completely immune to its poison!"

"So that explains why the venom had no effect on me!" Atemu stated. "If I were still a merman when the snakes attacked me, I would have been dead in an instant! I need to thank Pegasus the next time I see him."

"Well, I think you can thank him for saving your sister as well." Tea noted, "After all, he was the one who made that potion."

"True," Atemu answered with a smile, "But it's Seto who brought it over to her… he's the one who saved her life." The Prince looked toward Seto, and smirked when he saw him blush. "Speaking of which Seto, I believe it's time."

Seto looked up in surprise. "Huh? F-for what?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Atemu pointed out, and his expression became serious. "If there is a time to tell her, now is the time."

Again, the blue eyed knight blushed furiously. But then he looked down at the Blue Eyes White Dragon brooch he held in his hand. He curled his fingers lovingly around it, and gently squeezed it as his own determination was renewed. _He's right._ He thought, _This is my chance! I need to let her know!_

"In any case, we'll leave you two to talk." Shadi suggested.

"Th-thank you." Seto stuttered. And with that the High Priest of Bahamut quietly left.

"Good luck Seto." Tea whispered in encouragement. Then she too departed, hand in hand with her beloved. Now alone, the blue eyed knight took a seat nearby his princess. For a while, he stared at her, growing nervous with each passing minute. Then finally, Kisara began to stir.

Slowly, her beautiful blue eyes opened as though from a long sleep. "…Seto?" she finally stated.

"Oh Kisara!" Seto gasped, embracing the former mermaid, tears of joy in his eyes. "I thought I lost you forever!" He briefly broke the embrace to stare into the blue eyes he never thought he would see again. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine, but… Wh… where am I?" Kisara asked in confusion, "I feel so strange. Not that it's a bad thing." Her eyes widened in astonishment the moment she laid eyes upon herself. "What? What happened?" she gasped, "Where are my fins?" Before Seto even got a chance to protest, she pulled away the blankets and sheets, exposing her new legs along with her nudity. "Seto… I have legs…! But how?"

Seto quickly covered the former mermaid with the sheet before he got a nosebleed. "I used Pegasus' potion to save you. It changed you into a human like me, the same way it changed Atemu."

"So I'm human?" Kisara asked.

"Yes." Seto replied with a sense of guilt. "And Atemu told me that once you drank that potion, you'll never be a mermaid again. Does that… bother you?"

To his relief, Kisara smiled. "No, not at all!" she giggled, "I'm just a little surprised, that's all." Once her cheerful laugher subsided, she looked at her beloved curiously. "Which reminds me… I thought you wanted to become a Deep Dweller. What exactly changed your mind?"

"Yeah, about that." Seto admitted, and took hold of her hand. He let out a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I love your ocean home. But there's more to that. You see… the main reason I wanted to become a Deep Dweller… is you." Kisara gasped in amazement as he continued, "You are my special someone Kisara, and when you declared your love for me, I felt as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders! It was because of you that I found redemption in the eyes of Bahamut! Because…" the blue eyed knight gulped once before he said those important words. "I love you too."

Kisara's eyes misted with tear of salty water, her first human tears—and they were tears of joy. "Do you… do you mean it?"

"Every word of it. I wanted to be with you. But when that spiral sea snake almost killed you… Suddenly, being a Deep Dweller meant nothing to me. So… I suppose I'm glad I made you a human instead. I'd rather have you here in my world, than live without you in yours."

For a while, Kisara sat silent. Then her lips curled into a smile, and her tears finally flowed down her cheeks. "Seto… If I were in your position, I would do the exact same thing!" Seto's heart leapt with joy at those words and the two of them drew closer to each other. And then, at long last, their trembling lips met in a passionate kiss, which sealed their love. Both wanted that moment to last forever. But eventually, they both had to breathe.

"YEAH!" a familiar voice cheered as they parted, "IT'S ABOUT TIME!" Seto and Kisara looked over at the doorway to find a certain little brother of the blue eyed knight.

"MOKUBA!" Seto shouted. "How long have you been over there? Do you really have to barge in like that? It's embarrassing!"

Mokuba just chuckled and waved his hand. "I'm just glad you two finally got together, that's all." Then he peered over at the now-human Kisara. "Heh heh, she looks even cuter as a human. Especially those breasts!"

"MOKUBA!" Seto shouted again, blushing furiously.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" Mokuba replied mischievously. Once the boy left, Seto turned his attention back to his love.

"Ten years old and already he's being such a playboy." Seto muttered with a huff. His lips curled into a gentle smile. "On the bright side, at least he agrees with me on one thing. You really are beautiful as a human." Kisara simply blushed at the compliment. "Well, I'm sure you would like to see your brother. Do you think you can handle walking?"

Kisara gave a small smile. "I… I might. You'll teach me how, won't you?"

"Of course." Seto answered. With that, Kisara removed the blankets and placed her new feet onto the smooth marble floor. Slowly, she began to stand up. It was obvious that her legs were as wobbly as that of a newborn fawn. For a while though, it seemed as though she was able to keep her balance. But when she tried to take her very first step, she immediately stumbled. Fortunately, she fell right into Seto's strong arms. "Whoa, careful! Not so fast."

Slightly embarrassed by her initial clumsiness, Kisara looked up at her beloved and giggled. "I guess it's not as easy as it looks."

"You'll get stronger the more you do it." Seto encouraged, "In the meantime, we need to get you dressed."

The former mermaid briefly looked at herself. Her cheeks turned pink as she stared back at her beloved's eyes. "Right."

* * *

"Hey guys!" Joey exclaimed, running down the stairs, "She's awake! And I heard she'll be coming soon!"

All the others cheered at the news. "It's about time!" Mako laughed heartily. "I was worried for a moment!"

"Now that Kisara is human, I'm actually excited to see her." Mai stated.

"Personally, I'm gonna miss her mermaid form." Duke noted, "But that's okay. She's still very pretty. Seto is one lucky son of a bitch to have someone like her."

"Quiet everyone!" Serenity hushed, "Here she comes!" Happy Lover, Scorch, Thunder Kid and Kuriboh all bounced for joy, eager to see their new friend. After a suspenseful moment, Seto and Kisara finally arrived from the top of the stairs. Everyone who looked upon Kisara gasped in awe and wonder. She was dressed in an elegant sky blue gown, the skirt billowing to the floor like a blossom of a lily. The top of the dress had long sleeves and exposed her lovely shoulders. From underneath, a pair of pearly white slippers poked out. Indeed, even in her new human body, Kisara looked just like the princess she is. Her hand was cradled in that of her beloved's who guided her down the stairs like a real gentleman.

"Wow… Kisara, you look gorgeous!" Tea complimented happily. The smaller monsters roared and squealed happily in agreement.

"Hello everyone." Kisara greeted sweetly. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, she tried to do a curtsey. She stumbled a bit, but she managed to stay on her feet, and she giggled at her own clumsiness.

"Kisara!" Atemu exclaimed joyfully, running toward his baby sister. After the two siblings embraced each other, the Prince stated, "I thought for sure that I was going to lose you after that sea snake bit you. How are you feeling? Are you suffering from any side effects like I had? After all, the potion you drank was made by Pegasus."

"I feel wonderful Atemu." Kisara answered. "Of course, I don't know exactly what you mean by side effects."

"Well, Pegasus told me that one side effect involves suffering great pain with every step you take. That's exactly what happened to me before I won Tea's heart." Atemu paused before he asked, "When you took your first steps, did you feel any pain?"

"Oh no, not at all! It doesn't hurt a bit!" Kisara giggled.

At that, Atemu sighed in relief. "I'm glad."

"So I take it you and Seto are now girlfriend and boyfriend huh?" Tristan asked.

The blue eyed knight drew his princess into his embrace from behind. "Well, it's obvious, isn't it?"

"Hee hee hee, oh Seto!" Kisara laughed and their lips met in a sweet, if rather brief, kiss.

"Now if you'll excuse me," Seto continued, "I'm going to give my mermaid princess a tour of the kingdom."

"Eh, technically, she's not a mermaid anymore." Joey pointed out.

"That may be true Mutt." Seto replied, once again earning a growl from the insulted. "But to me she will always be my mermaid."

Suddenly, Mokuba rushed into the scene. "Big Brother! You gotta come see this!"

"What is it Mokuba?" Seto asked, noticing the excited look on his little brother's face.

"It's Ibris' egg! You remember that one, the one that hasn't hatched yet? It's starting to move! It's even started to crack!"

At that, Seto's eyes widened in astonishment. "Well what are we waiting for then? Take us to the nests! Quickly!"

* * *

About ten minutes later, Seto and Kisara made it to where the dragons tend to their young, with Mokuba leading the way. A few others, like Atemu, Tea and Joey followed close behind. Kisara couldn't help but marvel at her surroundings. "Wow! Look at all those dragons! I never knew there were so many different kinds!"

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Joey replied, stroking Obsidian. "I know exactly how you feel."

"We're almost there." Mokuba announced. "The Blue Eyes nest is just ahead." Sure enough, they can hear the roar of one of Seto's Blue Eyes White Dragons from just around the corner. Soon they found Ibris, the proud mother. With her were four baby Blue Eyes in play.

"Aww look! Aren't they adorable?" Tea stated as one little dragon chick leapt into her arms.

"So where is the egg?" Atemu asked.

"Over there." Seto answered, pointing close to the proud mother dragon. The blue egg had a crack on the top. Suddenly, it began to move. "Oh! Can this be?" No sooner than he spoke than the crack became larger. It spread throughout the egg, until finally it opened.

Out sprang a tiny Blue Eyes White Dragon chick.

Everyone present cooed at the little miracle as it climbed out of its shell. Seto shed tears of joy. "I… I was worried that you'd never hatch… and yet here you are." The baby Blue Eyes let out a cute chirp in reply.

"Hello little one. Welcome to the world." Kisara greeted, bending down for a closer look. She gasped in amazement. "Seto, look at its eyes!" And he did look, and soon he too let out an amazed gasp. The baby Blue Eyes had one blue eye on the right side, but on the left side it had an eye in a much deeper shade of blue. A very dark shade, in fact.

_I don't believe it!_ Seto thought, _It's as if Azure had come back to me!_

"I don't know if it's a boy or girl yet, but… What shall we name it?" Kisara asked, breaking him out of his reverie. As the baby dragon crawled over to its new friend to let him pet it, he soon became quite thoughtful. Finally, he smiled.

"Navy." He answered, "That's what we'll call it." The former mermaid returned the smile, and she sat by her beloved. "Oh, by the way," Seto stated, and held out the brooch depicting the Blue Eyes White dragon. "I want you to keep this." He placed it in the hand of his princess, much to her surprise.

"B-but I worked so hard to find it just for you!" Kisara gasped.

"And I appreciate that you want to give it to me. But I have no need for this. I have you. So consider this a token of our love."

Kisara stared for a while. Then she smiled, and once more tears of joy flowed down her cheeks. "Thank you." She took the brooch and fastened it to the front of her dress, so that it was displayed right on her heart. "What do you think?"

"Perfect." The two lovers went on to play with Navy and its siblings. Prince Atemu and his fiancée soon joined them.

On that day, new bonds we formed. Bonds of friendship, and bonds of love.

Note: As I said before, it was hard thinking up the details. But hopefully, it's still pretty good. But hold on! It's STILL not over yet! There's only one more chapter to go! That's right! This story is almost finished! Coming up, the epilogue of Blue Eyes White Mermaid! And that chapter will be stuffed to the brim with fluffiness! Until Next Time!


	27. Chapter 27

Note: After all the hard work in thinking up the plot, and after all the distractions... at long last! The final chapter of Blue Eyes White Mermaid is finished! I would like to thank all of the fans who gave me the support and encouragement I need to get this masterpiece done! As I have said before in the previous chapter, this epilogue is filled with fluffiness. It's rather simple and short compared to other chapters, but hopefully it's a great way to end the story. So without further ado, This is for all you Atem/Tea fans and Seto/Kisara fans! Enjoy!

Epilogue

The sky above Aria was as clear as glass, dotted by small puffy clouds. The trees swayed gently with the breeze, accompanied by birdsong and other sounds of nature. But these quiet melodies were soon broken by another sound… one that brought even greater joy to the day. Temple bells resounded, announcing the moment everyone was waiting for.

In the street, trumpets and conch shells blared out over the cheering crowd, and soldiers marched downward, leading a grand parade to the temple of Bahamut. The star attraction was a carriage pulled by a team of snow-white Firewing Pegasi. And inside that carriage was Prince Atemu and Princess Tea. The Prince wore white clothes, adorned with gold armor and a violet cloak. The Princess of Aria was dressed in a beautiful white gown with long sleeves and her shoulders left bare. The look was complete with a platinum tiara that held up a long translucent veil—as befits a radiant princess bride. The soon-to-be wedded couple waved to their subjects as they passed by. And as they approached the temple, they gazed into each other's eyes and smiled. After everything they've been through, they will finally be united.

* * *

The wedding took place by the sea, not far off from the temple, so that the Dolphin Folk and Deep Dwellers alike could also take part in the happy event. The Deep Dweller Royals were especially moved to joyous tears. Aknumkanon and his queen smiled at their son and their soon-to-be daughter-in-law, bursting with pride. "Do you, Atemu, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife," Shadi recited, "To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"Yes, I do." Atemu answered, holding the hands of his beloved bride.

The High Priest of Bahamut nodded, and faced the Princess. "Do you, Tea, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

Tea smiled, her eyes misting with tears of joy. "Yes, I do."

"In the name of the Blue Eyes Platinum," Shadi concluded, "I hereby pronounce you husband and wife, king and queen. May Bahamut watch over you always, and may your love never diminish." And with a smile, the priest stated the words that the couple had yearned to hear: "You may now kiss the bride."

Atemu and Tea faced each other, moving closer and closer… until finally they sealed their bond with a passionate kiss. There was a round of applause everywhere, the crowd cheering for the newly wedded couple. "Aw yeah!" Joey cheered. Happy Lover and Kuriboh were dancing happily in the air, but of course, the Baby Dragon, Scorch, grew all teary eyed—and suddenly started bawling. Initially surprised, Joey held out a handkerchief to his little dragon friend. "Here you go Scorch." The baby dragon roared in thanks and blew his nose. "You just love happy times like this, don't ya?" Joey asked. Scorch smiled and nodded. The sandy blonde returned the smile. "Yeah, me too!"

"Congratulations!" Mai exclaimed to the newlyweds.

Tristan, Serenity, and Duke shouted in joy.

Mako and his crew clapped as hard as ever, and Great White whistled. The denizens of the sea leapt out of the water in a graceful display. Mana was joyfully bouncing up and down, while Mahaado simply smiled. Atemu and Tea turned to face the audience before them, waving. It is a moment they will savor for the rest of their lives… another new beginning for both of them.

* * *

Later that night, Seto was watching the wedding feast from a distance. He had to admit, the festivities held a magical quality to it… especially in the light of the setting sun. Just then Mokuba came running toward him. "Hey Seto!" he greeted. "C'mon and join us!"

"Later Mokuba." Seto replied with a dreamy look in his eye.

His little brother grew curious. "Something on your mind?" The blue eyed knight responded with a gentle smile, causing a michevious sparkle to shine in Mokuba's eyes. "It's your girlfriend huh?"

Seto blushed. "Yes. The wedding of Atemu and Tea reminded me of how deeply I feel for Kisara. Seeing these two together doesn't bother me as it did in the past. You know why? Because I finally found the one person I really love. And that is the one I'm honored to call my Blue Eyes White Mermaid. And after all the things we've been through, the love we share has grown ten times stronger than steel." He began to walk away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find her. I promised her that I would do something special for her."

"Sure." Mokuba replied with a wink. "Have a good time!" And with that, the boy ran back to the feast. Seto wandered around the balcony, his piercing blue eyes scanning his surroundings. Finally, he heard the soft voice of a young woman singing. He recognized the song instantly, his favorite song. He ran as fast as he could, following the melody. At last, he found her.

Kisara was standing by Azrael and little Navy pounced in the air like a kitten. The former mermaid was sporting a long braid decorated with beautiful blue ribbons. As the blue eyed knight slowly approached her, he heard a brand new set of lyrics coming from her lovely pink lips.

"_**Then one day, he took me to Donnybrooke Fair,**_

_**He bought me fine ribbons, tied them up in my hair.**_

_**He wanted to marry and stay by my side,**_

_**So he took me with him… to sail with the tide.**_

"_**Although I am no blackbird, I can whistle and can sing.**_

_**For I ride on the vessel where my true love sails in.**_

_**And in the top rigging I will build there my nest.**_

_**Soon I'll flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest.**_"

She slowly turned around to face him. And just as slowly, she opened her beautiful blue eyes.

"…_**I'll flutter my wings… o'er his broad golden chest.**_"

Seto's heart was fluttering with joy at the sight of his beloved. "Kisara… I can never imagine living my life without hearing your beautiful voice!"

"Hello Seto." Kisara greeted, hugging her beloved. After breaking from the embrace she stated, "The sun has yet to set. You promised you would show me the view before nightfall."

"And I intend to keep that promise." Replied Seto. "Let's go." And he mounted Azrael as his beloved gathered the Blue Eyes White Dragon chick into her arms. Then he helped the princess on, and once she was secure, he spurred his dragon to flight. With a running start, Azrael spread his wings and took off. Kisara let out a surprised yelp, which quickly turned into shouts of joy as they traveled higher and higher. Finally they reached a point where they could see everything below them, all painted by a gorgeous sunset.

"Oh Seto! It's beautiful!" Kisara gasped in amazement over the view. "I've never seen anything like it except when I lived in the ocean! It this what you see every time you ride your dragons?" Navy let out a tiny roar of awe, flapping its wings as though pretending to fly as well.

"Yep, it sure is pretty." Seto replied. He turned around to face his beloved. "But you know, it's not as beautiful as you are to me right now."

The former mermaid gave a gentle smile, blushing at the comment. "Seto… You know about Atemu and Tea, and how they got married. Do you… think it will be us someday?"

Seto wrapped an arm around his beloved, savoring the warmth of her body. "I don't think so, Kisara… I **know** so!" And with that the lovers pressed their lips in yet another passionate kiss. The kiss seemed to last a long time, but eventually they parted in order to breathe. Navy decided to use this time to take a nice little nap, and the lovers couldn't help but think about how adorable it was. The blue eyed knight once more turned his attention toward his princess. "Let's enjoy this moment until the sun fully sets. Then we'll head back to the wedding party. I'm already looking forward to our first dance together."

"Me too." Kisara replied. And so, they flew onward, soaking in the rays of the sunset… savoring the sweet taste of love that ties the crisp air of the Realm Above with the crashing waves of the sparkling sea.

The End

Note: And so there you have it! The end of Blue Eyes White Mermaid and the Dragon Knight of the Sea saga! I will continue with my writing, for I have so many new ideas coming into my head! Again, thank you so much for giving me your support! As I've said before and will say again, Until Next Time!


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